“..restored safety in play, friendship and love.”— Nicole

March 2024 there was a local arts festival at 18&union in Central District of Seattle WA. 3 weeks of local homegrown artists performing their art in various forms. I had the honor of performing my songs for 3 nights of week one at this quaint space (housing the tiniest restroom I’ve ever used in my life possibly) along with lineup of enchantingly heartbreaking, heart racing, glee-inducing artists and performers. There, I met Nicole Devine Deveaux (one of the performers), whose performance of her friend’s choreography was absolutely charming. A bit after the festival she expressed that she wants to use my song “playground” for an upcoming dance show called “ROUSE” in Tacoma at Jazzbones in May. I was over the moon stoked to hear that my song inspired a choreography and that it had meaning to someone. It was a thrilling experience getting to perform the song live for Nicole and Sierra’s performance on show night and most unforgettable was seeing them on the 5x5 tiny stage under those lights with such attention to detail from their movement to facial expression. I mean— the unguarded joy and wonder in their smiles! For the lack of a better word, it was heartwarming to witness.

Nicole’s choreography piece was an interpretation of “playground”. In her words, “Playground is a love letter exploring an experience in queerness comforted in softness, joy, and mutual respect from a relationship that restored safety in play, friendship, and love”. As she also said, vulnerability looks different for everyone— and boy is it a gift like no other when we get to recognize and witness it.