[*If you’re listening with headphones, be sure to use both left & right for this episode!*]

This month, we had the good fortune to catch Marc Bamuthi Joseph for a quick interview while he was in NYC! Marc is widely recognized as one of the most vital voices in performance, arts education, and artistic curation. We packed so much into this relatively short conversation, speaking with Marc about how community engagement and social change are inextricably bound to his artistic practice; his new, soccer-inspired piece, /pehLO-tah/, which will be performed at BAM Oct 18th-21st; and some of the ways in which he ties performance work to community engagement efforts. In the process, we touched on the concept of black joy, parallels between soccer and choreography, and even “the semiotics of the goal scorer’s celebration.” 😉 Obviously a fascinating figure on both intellectual and creative levels, Marc gives us a great deal to think about, and we encourage everyone to see /pehLO-tah/ at BAM, Oct 18th-21st!

Recognized as one of the most vital voices in performance, arts education, and artistic curation, Marc BAMUTHI Joseph is hailed for producing and/or performing riveting works of political, economic, and social significance. His bold poetically-driven work investigates social issues and cultural identity. He is a steadfast believer in empathy as the most valuable currency in building community, and seeks to spark curiosity and dialogue about freedom, compassion, and fearlessness through pioneering arts stewardship and education.  He is a 2017 TEDGlobal Fellow and was also named a Top Influencer by Dance Magazine this year. His latest (2017) touring work, /pehLO-tah/ is inspired by soccer, Bamuthi’s first generation American experience, intersecting global economics, cross border fan culture, and the politics of joy. In addition, BAMUTHI is the founding Program Director of the non-profit Youth Speaks, and a co-founder of Life is Living, a national series of one-day festivals which activate under-resourced parks and affirm peaceful urban life. His essays have been published in Harvard Education Press; he has lectured at more than 200 colleges, has carried adjunct professorships at Stanford and Lehigh, among others, and currently serves as Chief of Program and Pedagogy at Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in San Francisco, where Bamuthi continues to discover intersections between art, societal concerns, and community in the Bay area.