Freshworks: Arnita Simone
KST Presents
Heavy Is The Crown (SOLD OUT)
Friday & Saturday, November 1* – 2*, 2024 | *with discussion
7:30pm – 9:00pm (including discussion)
KST’s Alloy Studios | 5530 Penn Ave.
Pay What Moves You: $15 – $30
Heavy Is The Crown is a celebration of African American culture and the beauty of the Black diaspora by Freshworks artist Arnita Simone. This contemporary dance performance in progress explores the interconnected, sacred histories of Black hair traditions, honoring them while educating audiences about the fascinating origins and revolutionary applications of these styles. Heavy Is The Crown traces historically and culturally significant moments from 3500 BCE, when a hairstyle would be used to communicate a person’s wealth, power, ethnicity, marital status, social status, religion, and more, through the natural hair movement of the 1960’s, to the social media resurgence of natural hairstyles in the 2010’s.
Arnita centers the philosophy of traditional Black hair designs as being a sacred part of the connected consciousness of melanated human beings. Join the artist as she celebrates braids, twists, knots, and locs by diving into the beauty of the Black diaspora, and its influences on the current media, beauty trends, and popular culture of today.
Photo Credit: Jenna Taddeo
Content Warning: This event contains flashing lights and explicit languages.
AND DON’T MISS…
Freshworks: Yusef Shelton (Ys1)
Barbershop Talk
Friday & Saturday, October 4* – 5*, 2024 | *with discussion
7:30pm – 9:00pm (including discussion)
KST’s Alloy Studios | 5530 Penn Ave.
Pay What Moves You: $15 – $30
- ABOUT THE ARTIST
Arnita Simone is a choreographer, and creative director from Pittsburgh. After earning a Psychology degree from Clarion University in 2019, she pursued the arts, holding positions such as teaching artist for Propel Schools, Manager of Residential Programs for Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre, and dance instructor for various studios, including KST’s Alloy Studios. Arnita enjoys collaborating with other artists, participating in productions like Diving Within by Andraya Rand-Mathis and Underland X Alice by Kontara Morphis. Inspired by the human psyche, history, and cultural influences, her mission is to express through movement and art the unspoken and often overlooked nuances of life. She aims to leave her audience with new insights and perspectives.
Amani Hill is a dancer and choreographer based in Pittsburgh, PA. She has been dancing and teaching for over seven years, focusing on correct posture, technique, and core growth. She has performed in multiple shows in Pittsburgh, including the Shona Sharif African Dance and Drum Ensemble’s Black Nativity, where she choreographed a piece and danced. Along with local performances, Amani has choreographed for her dance team, entering them into the USASF: U.S. All Star Federation – Cheer and Dance.
Marissa Lily is a graduate in Musical Theater from the American Musical Dramatic Academy in New York City earning her triple threat status. She is now a production assistant working on major network TV and film productions in Pittsburgh. She also spends her time working at a non-profit helping and uplifting her community through the arts. She is an entertainment creative who has an equal passion for producing behind the scenes and entertaining in front of the camera and on stage. Some of her most recent credits include Mayor of Kingstown, Netflix’s Rustin and Lee Daniels’s The Deliverance.
A Pittsburgh-based actress and dancer, Naijah Simon seeks to embody the range of the human experience through various mediums. A recent NYU graduate, she’s making her mark on Pittsburgh’s artist community, studying acting at Ensemble Actors Studio and Donna Belajac Actors Studio. She recently performed for the UN’s Convention of Youth, and co-wrote and performed at NYU Abu Dhabi’s annual RealAD Show. She’s excited to work with Arnita Simone once again in Heavy is the Crown!