Freshworks: Arnita Simone
KST Presents
Heavy Is The Crown
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
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.