Dancer: Adji Cissoko
Photo By: Alexander Antonijevic
Why publish my response to Lauren Warnecke’s Chicago Tribune review now?
By Kevin Iega Jeff
I wrote my response a week after reading Lauren Warnecke’s November 2024 review, but chose to sit with it, reflecting on whether—and when—to share it. So why release it now? In light of my own convictions and the diligent work of so many unsung dance progenitors, I could not allow silence to sanction misinformation.
Historical and cultural accuracy matter deeply to me—as does nurturing communal understanding. When inaccurate perspectives go unchallenged, even if unintentional, they too often harden into accepted fact, shaping perceptions and important decisions without the benefit of nuance, context, or truth.
My response to Warnecke’s review was written before the release of the film Sinners, but choreographer Jamaal Burkmar’s recent commentary on how that film was critically received powerfully echoes my concerns. Burkmar spoke to the dangers of critiques that lack cultural literacy—how they can misinterpret or diminish the depth of Black artistic expression.
After working for more than five decades as a dance artist, I believe it’s essential to challenge limited narratives and to foster dialogue that honor the work of Black artists and Black-led organizations with the depth of understanding they deserve—here in Chicago and beyond. I share my response in the spirit of inviting constructive dialogue, encouraging deeper curiosity, and inspiring reflective thought.
Click Here to read the full letter.