“Taking Root – A Seed Showing”

showcased Javon Jones and the development of his dance piece, A Slow Crawl Towards Heaven. Javon was in residency with Merely Players three times in 2022.

August 13, 2022 at Merely Underground.

Images by Christine Alexander.

We are thrilled to introduce Javon to you. Here’s a bit more about him and his work:

MP: Tell us about the dance piece that you are developing now.

JJ: The process of A Slow Crawl Towards Heaven has been an eye-opening experience as I build the story, the movement, and music. This creation has been a portal to the past, a reflection of the present, and a looking glass into the future. It is an attempt to reclaim Black ancestral stories through a decolonized lens. My new work utilizes the story of Moses to peer into the archetype of the root doctor, conjure man, and spirit worker who was ever present during the time of slavery – providing tinctures for healing, prayers for protection, and counsel to those of all races and societal status.  

MP: What propels you as an artist?

JJ: I believe that spirituality and dance engage in a passionate, inseparable union; expression and movement have always existed in a symbiotic relationship.  My art serves to expand the lens through which we allow ourselves to experience the range of our humanity, spirituality, and consciousness. By writing in personal and ancestral histories that have often gone unnamed or unnoticed, my aim is to reclaim the legacy of my African and Black ancestors.

Check out Javon’s bio, and then check out his show on Saturday, the 13^th. It’s a privilege to have this talented human in our space.

BIO: Performance artist Javon “Ja’Moon” Jones discovered his love for movement in his hometown of Detroit, MI. Following his graduation from Cass Technical High School he went on to train, traditionally, at The Juilliard School. During his college tenure “Ja’Moon” has performed works by some of the leading names in the concert dance community; Crystal Pite, Jose Limon, Bill T Jones and more. “Ja’Moon” took a leave from his formal studies to join in the thoughtfulness of A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham. He has had the privilege to dance works that have allowed him to move audiences from stages at The Joyce Theater, The Kennedy Center, The Peter J. Sharp, and Ralph Freud Playhouse. “Ja’Moon” is developing his own sacred illustrations as an independent performance artist while also continuing to expand through his ventures as a bi-coastal freelance artist.