Exploring the Nuances of Neo Soul - 6 pts Kayce Brown

       On October 14th, I was given the opportunity to perform during the Neo Soul concert. A performance I will never forget. A few weeks ago, my friend requested I audition alongside her as a student headline. At the time, I was unfamiliar with Neo Soul and its entirety, but I was open to learning about the culture and its implications. Upon research I quickly learned that Neo Soul included a fusion of R&B, Funk, Retro Soul, and Quiet Storm. It was apparent how important this form of music is and was to our culture. It was not just another musical genre, but rather a movement -  representative of a significant shift in the music industry towards authenticity and emotional depth.

As we crafted our piece, we recognized that it needed to connect emotionally, spiritually, and represent the fullness of our people. My friend decided her portion would include spoken word, and I would add dance movement. We would intertwine our two talents together to create a masterpiece. While I was excited to perform, I felt I needed to research further and fully understand more about Neo Soul and African culture in order to fully embody and portray a performance that would move others. I quickly latched on to Erykah Badu, Jill Scott, Lauryn Hill, Sade, and even Alicia Keys to dig deeper into the genre. Specifically, Erykah Badu’s “Tyrone” performance not only captivated the audience, but explored complexities of relationships and addressed the topic of mutual respect. I now understood just how moving and impactful this form of music can be.

The experience of creating our piece was life-changing. The spoken word selection was created originally and questioned, “what is love?” My friend latched on to Miseducation of Lauryn Hill to prompt the audience in deep thought. We use excerpts from “You Don’ Know my Name” by Alicia Keys and “Didn’t Cha Know” by Erykah Badu to enhance our performance. Creating the dance movement was even more rewarding. I researched Neo Soul performers to ensure that my movement matched but, ultimately, I made the choreography my own. I felt a different kind of freedom, as I had never performed in a Neo Soul African style of dance before. I learned more about myself. I learned how to be patient even when the moves were not connecting to the words as easily as I had thought. To embody the culture, we wore head scarves, facial jewelry, waistbands, and beads. Each piece represented a fraction of African culture and enhanced our overall performance.

When performance Day arrived, we were elated. We were eager to show Spelman students, Morehouse students, and alumni our creation. For us, this was not just a performative piece, it was a story. It was a movement – a movement that required action and encouraged deep thought from the audience. When we took the stage, the lights shone bright, the audience beamed, and our hearts raced. All our hard work, research, and patience were finally given a chance. As soon as my friend spoke her first words and I entered the stage with smooth movement, the crowd cheered. As we continued to perform, I felt a feeling as a dancer that I have never felt before. I was not quite sure if it was the fact that I was performing in a different style, or that I was dancing on a stage in a new place I had never been before. I even considered the fact that I was performing in a space where support, love and sisterhood, was the notion. Nonetheless, I glided through the stage, hitting moves with precision and grace, remembering the words of my friend, “what is love, what truly is love?” The audience was deeply moved. They shouted, they cheered, they screamed - energy we needed. When we finished, we were certain we did what we wanted and needed to do: move the audience, perform a soulful piece, and perform not just for ourselves, but for others.

This experience was like none other, an experience that I will continue to replay each and every day. It not only reminded me of the peace and joy I feel through dance, but it also reminded me of the importance of trying new things and learning about new cultures and experiences. I thank my friend for challenging me to audition with her and step outside my comfort zone. I thank Spelman for giving students the opportunity and  space to share their creativity. And lastly, I thank myself for having the courage to try something new, something that I will never forget.

Kayce Brown