This is a visual poem I created with another dancer/video artist/ mother, Maria J. Hackett, which was made possible through a parent/artist residency at Brooklyn Arts Exchange. This is my first work as an artist mother, freshly a mother and still in my fourth trimester. It was such a wonderful opportunity to commune with another mother with an older child, sharing similar experiences as single Black mothers in NYC. We shared so much during this vital time, and some of that is translated in this work. In the text, I speak on the various roles and archetypes that I felt I was learning to embody, the shifting internal landscape along with the physical changes I experienced. I wanted to take some of the shapes I was making in my daily mundane routine and somehow ritualize them, honor them, and make them even a prayer for more grace.

Dancing in my postpartum body highlights my unique capacity and ever-evolving journey. My body, marked by the transformative experience of pregnancy and childbirth, stands as a testament to the fluidity of the human form. While my capacity may differ from what it once was, I have learned to appreciate a different kind of strength that emerges in this phase of life. My flexibility levels may have shifted, but that is a reminder of adaptability. Dancing postpartum emphasizes the beauty in recognizing and embracing these changes. It is a celebration of resilience and the ability to seek and find grace.

As I dance in my postpartum body, I embrace and appreciate the different kind of strength that is developing within me. It is a strength that goes beyond physical prowess, delving into the emotional and mental fortitude required to navigate the complexities of parenthood while pursuing my passion for dance. This dance reflects the ebb and flow of life, where moments of strength and moments of vulnerability coexist harmoniously.