Break Through
Collaborator: Cam McLeod
"The challenge of creating work in a pandemic was certainly a task, but a task that I was quite willing to take on. What was far more challenging was creating work that I typically pull from self-realization and reflection. 2020 reminded me that -isms have become intrinsic in our daily vernacular and lifestyles. It is not that I do not desire the challenge to discuss these injustices in my work, because I cannot unsee it, unshare it, unbreathe it. What is challenging is the fact that I will continue to teach, perform, research, and choreograph with -isms still present and louder than ever. At least now, we are finally listening. Hopefully, now is when we MAKE CHANGE!"
—jo Blake
Dance Conservation
Collaborator: Steve Korn
This project, funded by the University of Washington's Campus Sustainability Fund, marks the first time the fund has collaborated with an arts organization. It merges dance and photography to ignite conversations about sustainability and the overuse of natural resources. Led by jo Blake and photographer Steve Korn, the initiative highlights these critical issues through evocative imagery.
Undergraduate and graduate students, including majors and non-majors, played an integral role in the project. For many participants, it was their first experience with a professional photo shoot, making it an educational and transformative opportunity. These powerful still photographs capture the athleticism, storytelling, and emotional depth of dance, transforming fleeting movements into timeless art. Showcased in galleries and online, the project invites viewers to reflect on the intersection of art, environment, and human impact.
From Performance to Documentary
Collaborator: Devin Marie Muñoz, WSU Dance Program, Utah Women 20/20
Take Us As We Are was a multidisciplinary, community-driven outreach project led by jo Blake through Weber State University's Moving Company. This initiative integrates dance, digital media, music, and engineering to celebrate the resilience and strength of female-identified individuals while addressing barriers they have historically faced. Inspired by the centennial of women’s suffrage in America, the project explored themes of courage, persistence, and empowerment through creative collaboration and performance.
Central to the project are partnerships with Weber State’s Women’s Center, Center for Community Engaged Learning (CCEL), and the university library’s "Untold Stories" research on Utah women. In collaboration with guest artist Devin Marie Muñoz, the project includes interviews with local women, community movement workshops, and the creation of multimedia performance works. Highlights include performances at Orchesis Dance Theatre concerts, the Women’s Center's “Take Back the Night,” and a co-produced concert with Penguin Lady in Salt Lake City.
Through rehearsals, volunteer work, and outreach events, students engaged in high-impact, collaborative learning experiences. Consultation with a university engineering student, to discuss the design of innovative staging elements, and the expertise of guest artists deepened the project’s artistic and technical scope. At its heart, Take Us As We Are fostered inclusivity, human connection, and a celebration of community through the transformative power of dance.