Dance Artists Baye & Asa Interrogate Dualities in Schwarzman Center Performance

In the realm of contemporary dance, Amadi “Baye” Washington and Sam “Asa” Pratt, known as the dance duo Baye & Asa, pushed the boundaries of movement and expression with their latest showcase held in The Dome at Yale Schwarzman Center. In two performances on January 26 and 27, they presented a twisted odyssey of the human condition. This article delves into the contrasting yet interconnected themes the duo portrayed through choreography. From the raw intensity of Suck it Up to the enigmatic allure of their in-progress piece, Baye & Asa invited audiences on a journey through the depths of the human psyche.

Suck it Up: A Treatise on Male Insecurity

As I step into the world of Suck it Up, choreographed and performed by Baye & Asa, I find myself encapsulated by a departure from the traditional notion of dance. These movements are not the graceful pirouettes of classical forms, but rather a raw, visceral display of motion. The dancers' bodies convulse and contort in erratic spasms, their limbs and faces twisting in a primal frenzy. This vivid display of aggression is an uncovering of the male façade; a revelation of emotions that bubble beneath the surface as men navigate the demands and expectations of patriarchal society.

Yet still, within the performance, there are moments of fleeting beauty reminiscent of classical art forms, in which the dancers briefly embody the pretty poise of ballet. Yet, these moments are swiftly engulfed by further ferocity of movement, plunging the audience into a chaotic and unsettled atmosphere. Through this deliberate action, Baye & Asa draw attention to the disturbing war between masculinity and femininity that takes place within every man, the basic need to fully express oneself and the societal expectation to maintain a visage of toughness. Adding to this complexity is the space between the two dancers’ bodies, intimate yet volatile, it becomes a stage for a delicate interplay of thought, reaction, and experience.

As I sit perched on the edge of my seat, I am both captivated and bewildered by the unpredictable nature of the performance. Its tone is intense and almost furious, as if the dancers are grappling with feelings and insecurities buried deep within themselves. I glance around the room, seeking meaning in the faces of my fellow audience members, only to find myself stonewalled at their obfuscated expressions.

Baye & Asa’s faces betray a myriad of emotions—uncertainty, embarrassment, shame, anger, hopefulness, mockery, intimacy, flirtation, even amusement—all intertwined in a complex display of human experience. This whirlwind of emotions is a contemporary piece, confronting the violent collapse of male insecurity and entitlement.

Through their erratic and unconventional movements, Baye & Asa peel back the layers of societal norms and expectations, exposing the raw underbelly of masculinity in today's world. The performance becomes a mirror, reflecting the deep-seated insecurities and entitlements that lurk beneath the surface, challenging us to confront them head-on.

Untitled An Exploration of the Human Form:  A Dance of Darkness and Light

The final showcase was an untitled work in progress. In this piece, I couldn't help but notice a striking departure from the style of Suck it Up. Choreographed and directed—but not performed—by Baye & Asa, the untitled work featured three dancers, whose styles exuded a more traditional composition than their choreographers’.  Grappling with the challenges of having their work performed by bodies with different dance backgrounds and capabilities than their own, Baye & Asa were intentional about not performing in this piece. This decision brought transformation to the performance, as the dancers’ movements also reflected traditional dance forms, with high verticals, elongated forms, and leaps that momentarily liberated their bodies from the constraints of gravity; yet the stamp of Baye & Asa’s unorthodox approach remained evident.

There was an unsettling quality to the performance, reminiscent of Jordan Peele's film Us. Us delves into the eerie, darkness of human nature. In the film, a family's tranquil vacation is unexpectedly disrupted by sinister unearthly counterparts. Similarly, in this unnamed piece, the dancers conveyed an unsettling tension. They moved with a rigid, otherworldly precision that seemed to defy human expression, as if their bodies were being manipulated by some unseen presence, perhaps symbolic of the unseen forces that shape and manipulate human behavior. The low, burnt orange lighting added to the cinematic quality of the performance, casting an ominous glow that heightened its sense of foreboding mystery.

Themes of conformity emerged, adding layers of complexity to the performance. There was a palpable tension in the air, as if the dancers were struggling against some form of constraint. But this struggle overtime became fleeting, as if their bodies gradually released all notions of freedom and individuality.

As I watched the piece unfold, I found myself captivated by the interplay of light and shadow, movement, and stillness. It was a mesmerizing exploration of conformity, human behavior, and the forces that shape our identities, leaving me pondering the influence of these themes in my own life long after the final curtain fell.