Student Left Behind, Gives New Meaning to Dance Project

“Justice includes all.” – Tanya Winters, ACC dance student

Jelae - absent dancer for "The Justice Project"

In early December, you can see a dance performance celebrating justice authored by ACC students in collaboration with students from the University of Trinidad and Tobago.

But you won’t get to see Jelae.

The Trinidadian dancer was one of four students preparing to travel to Austin Community College for the “The Justice Project” performance. Unfortunately, she was denied entry to the United States because, as an impoverished woman, Jelae cannot provide the U.S. government sufficient financial proof she would return home.

“Jelae had an invitation from Lyman Grant (ACC Arts and Humanities dean) and a letter from her own provost, but visa officials would not even read them,” says ACC Adjunct Dance Professor Darla Johnson.

“The Justice Project” will continue without Jelae, but her absence poignantly illustrates important questions:

What is justice? Who gets it? Who doesn’t, and why?

ACC’s Arts and Humanities Division is exploring these and similar questions in conjunction with its second annual Big Read program, which focuses on the Julia Alvarez novel “In the Time of Butterflies.” As part of the Big Read, “The Justice Project” brings together ACC creative writing and dance students to explore justice under the guidance of two ACC professors, Johnson and Creative Writing Department Chair Charlotte Gullick.

The project is the brainchild of Johnson and former Austinite Nicole Wesley, who now teaches at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. “This is a research project that has evolved throughout my career, from my investigation into racism, social justice, collaboration, creating community, and the need for the individuals’ voices to be heard, all in relationship to dance and performance,” says Johnson.

Gullick was eager to partner with Johnson on the project. “Much of my writing and community work centers on the idea of social justice and using the arts to create bridges between different dimensions of a community,” she says.

Over the semester, ACC dance and writing students have met to get to know each other and explore aspects of justice, whether within one’s own family or community or environment.

“I have learned that the definition of justice is not a single idea,” says dance student Alex Crank. “It is more a joining of many ideas and opinions.”

The project forced creative writing student Sandra Johnson to confront her feelings on life and death, love and hatred, forgiveness and justice, time and eternity, fear and faith.

“This collaboration has evoked endless questions whose answers are too elusive to be recorded or explained but can only be held in the hearts and minds of those with the desire to understand both sides of every coin,” Johnson says. “It has moved me in ways I’m still working to understand, and I hope it has similar effects on everyone involved in creating, performing, and viewing this work.”

The University of Trinidad and Tobago students, without Jelae, will fly to Austin November 24 to share Thanksgiving dinner with a host family and get to know the other performers. Then, over five days, the students will discuss, create, rehearse, and, finally, perform their personal expressions of justice during the Fall Choreographers’ Showcase at ACC’s Rio Grande Campus on December 3-4. A special performance is also scheduled as part of the Big Read closing ceremony earlier in the day on December 4.

Creative Writing Department Chair Charlotte Gullick with ACC students participating in "The Big Read"

“The students have enjoyed getting to know each other and finding out how the creative process works for another group of students,” Gullick says. “The writers, including myself, are learning to expand our definitions of collaboration and to be OK with not knowing what the final product will look like.”

“The Justice Project” performances are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, December 3-4, in the Mainstage Theater of the Rio Grande Campus, 1212 Rio Grande St. Admission is $5 students and seniors, $10 general admission. All proceeds benefit Arts and Humanities Dance and Drama Scholarship Fund For information, call (512) 294.7712.

The public is also invited to attend the Big Read closing ceremony, “The Courageous Spirit: Facing Injustice,” between noon and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, December 4, in the Rio Grande Campus Mainstage Theater. Activities include a panel discussion on relationship violence, “Justice Project” performance, and Children’s art exhibit. Admission is free.