Last month, internationally renowned choreographer and artist Jonah Bokaer’s “Did I Remember” debuted in Jacksonville, Florida at the Jacksonville Dance Theatre (JDT). Created with the assistance of Szabi Pataki, the commissioned choreographic performance is the pinnacle of Bokaer’s residency at Long Road Projects (LRP), and marks the first collaboration between the JDT and LRP.
During Bokaer’s residency at LRP he spent a succession of multi-week stays in Jacksonville, where he orchestrated a series of collaborations and research meetings. The choreography was conceived there with the members of the modern dance company.
Long Road Projects founded by Aaron Levi Garvey and Stevie Covart Garvey
“Did I Remember” – Choreography and Set Design by Jonah Bokaer
Music by Billie Holiday
Performance by Jacksonville Dance Theatre
Photography and Videography by Alexa Velez.
“Did I Remember” was inspired by Lenape Tavern, a 1920s jazz club within the former Genovar’s Hall in the historic suburb of LaVilla, Florida. Once a town bursting with life and culture (from being the birthplace of author and politician James Weldon Johnson, to hosting artists like Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington, and Louis Armstrong during the Jazz Age), now all that is left are the crumbling remains of failed preservation attempts. It is through Bokaer’s work that the dancers of JDT tell the many stories and mythos of the club, seeking to revive the rich history of LaVilla.
Presented in conjunction with the performance on September 26, was a corresponding published edition of printed visual works on paper, made in collaboration with master printmaker, Patrick Miko.
Long Road Projects founded by Aaron Levi Garvey and Stevie Covart Garvey
“Did I Remember” – Choreography and Set Design by Jonah Bokaer
Music by Billie Holiday
Performance by Jacksonville Dance Theatre
Photography and Videography by Alexa Velez.
