Photo Credit: Patricia Kastelic, Express Yourself Milwaukee.
ExYoMKE 2014 Show
Lori Vance, Express Yourself Milwaukee founder and co-executive director as well as “Step Up! It’s Bigger Than We” artistic coordinator, sat down with Off the Cuff to talk about Express Yourself’s upcoming collaborative performance extravaganza featuring the creative expressions of Milwaukee’s at-risk youth.
Tell me about Express Yourself Milwaukee.
Express Yourself immerses young people ages 17-21 in the arts, where they find a powerful tool for self-expression. They learn to express themselves in healthy, positive ways using a variety of creative means and, in the process, discover inner strength and a sense of connection with others. By igniting the creative spirit, we provide youth valuable life skills for successfully facing life’s challenges. The signature Express Yourself program provides a multi-disciplinary arts experience in collaboration with exciting visual and performing artists. Programs take place at our studio and at residential and corrections facilities throughout the area. Exploring an annual theme, our programming is created through success-oriented activities. We believe deeply that everyone has something creative to contribute and all of this creativity comes together in a joy-filled public performance at the Pitman Theater at Alverno College each May.
Can you share more about your annual public performance and the upcoming show on Thursday, May 7?
Central to the Express Yourself model is a celebration of transformation. For all of the young people involved, the Express Yourself Milwaukee show reflects a year of artistic exploration and self-discovery. Each year a theme guides the artistic creations of the youth and artists across the city at our 16 partner agencies. This year’s theme is “Step Up! It’s Bigger Than We,” which asks the youth and artists to look at each of our special gifts and what we need and can do to step up in our own lives, our families and our community.
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We’ve been working with these youth since our summer camp in 2014 for “Step UP!,” making set pieces, practicing dances, singing, drumming, writing poetry and stories and creating pieces that share the youths’ insights, struggles and joy in finding ways to step up. We work with about 1,000 kids during the course of the year and the show is where all our work is woven together in a celebratory artistic performance. About 100 of those kids are able to actually be onstage with us, but the work on stage is the culmination of the work from all these kids across the city. The performance really requires us to come together, because we have this production and we have this audience that is going to show up and be there to witness what we’ve created. Being celebrated for their successes is often something new for these youth. For the adults in their lives, the performance offers a way to see their child as an important part of an exceptional event. The Express Yourself annual show is proof that art changes lives, strengthens families and builds community.
What are some additional highlights of “Step Up!”?
The Express Yourself Band will be led by Milwaukee’s own David Wake of De La Buena, and there will be special characters inspired by Nick Cave’s Soundsuits (wearable fabric sculptures that are bright and whimsical). We will also have many inspirations from our earlier visit with poet Jimmy Santiago Baca. He won’t actually be here, but the seeds of his work will certainly be on the stage with us and his presence will be felt. One of the pieces in the show is a reading of one of Jimmy’s poems by multiple voices of kids that won’t be able to be onstage. We also have some interesting interactive pieces, including a listening piece by Running Rebels youth and of course the heart-pounding drumming and dancing will make people want to get out of their seats and step up!
What is most rewarding about putting on this celebration featuring ExYoMKE youth?
Express Yourself artists work with youth during very challenging times in their lives. For many of the youth, an opportunity to be onstage seen for their strengths and resilience is not possible. Being seen and heard is important to each of us, and being seen and valued from the lights and magic of the stage plants deep and strong seeds that each one of the kids matter to themselves as well as to our community! Youth stop me on the street when they see me, thanking me for our work because they remembered our show. That to me is clear feedback that our work is making a difference.
Come see the show! It’s family friendly and fun, and has a deep impact on the youth and artists. Audience members are so important to the work. See for yourself the transformation that takes place when young people discover positive ways to express themselves.
“Step Up! It’s Bigger Than We” will be held Thursday, May 7 at 6 p.m. at Alverno College’s Pitman Theater, 3405 S. 39th St. The show is free and open to the public with donations invited. To learn more about the show or becoming involved with Express Yourself Milwaukee, call 414-272-3498, email info@exyomke.org or visit exyomke.org.
