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February 27, 2025
In our final Q&A installment featuring the choreographers commissioned for Lamentation Variations, we sat down with Nycole Ray, artistic director for DBDT: Encore!, the professional training company for Dallas Black Dance Theatre (DBDT). Ray shares her vision for reimagining Martha Graham’s Lamentations through a contemporary lens to explore the experience of human connection.
Ray: Martha Graham’s work has been an influence on me both as a dancer and a choreographer. Her technique is not just a method of movement, it is a language, a way of expressing the deepest parts of the human experience. I have always been drawn to the emotional and physical intensity of Graham’s work, from the breath-driven contractions to the expansive, lyrical release. Her approach to storytelling, her use of imagery, and the way she seamlessly integrates movement with props and costumes have been a source of inspiration. Graham’s work has taught me that dance is not just about steps, it is about intent, emotion, and the power of presence.
Ray: For me, Lamentation is a study in contrasts—strength and vulnerability, resistance and surrender, isolation and connection. I have always been inspired by Ms. Graham’s ability to convey deep emotion through subtle yet powerful movement, particularly through her use of breath, facial expression, and the sculptural quality of her port de bras. The image of the dancer enveloped in fabric speaks to the human condition—the struggle to break free, to contain sorrow, to express grief while still holding onto resilience. Personally, Lamentation feels like an exploration of the emotions we carry within us, the ones we sometimes struggle to name but inevitably shape who we are.
Ray: In my variation, I wanted to explore the idea of connection, how we lean on one another in times of sorrow and how grief and strength coexist in a shared space. While Lamentation originally portrayed a single figure processing emotion internally, I was drawn to the idea of translating that solitude into a collective experience. I wanted to maintain the intensity and sculptural qualities of Graham’s original work while also emphasizing the physical bonds between the dancers.
Ray: I started with a strong visual image in my mind, bodies in constant physical connection, a thread of movement that seldom breaks. This image guided my exploration as I worked with the dancers. I wanted to create a sense of unspoken support between them, where movement became both a dialogue and a shared experience of emotion.
One of my biggest challenges was maintaining the physical continuity I envisioned. The dancers had to remain connected in some way at all times, which required careful structuring of transitions. There were moments when I questioned if it was possible to sustain that connection without compromising the movement quality. Once we embraced and explored the concept, the choreography felt more organic, and the intention behind the movement became even clearer.
Ray: Honoring Ms. Graham’s legacy is something I take very seriously, but I also believe that true homage comes from interpreting her work in a way that is authentic to my own artistic voice. I made a conscious effort to weave elements of the Graham technique into my choreography, while allowing my own choreographic sensibilities to lead the way. My goal was not to replicate Lamentation, but rather to carry its essence forward, reimagining it through a contemporary lens while staying true to the emotional depth and human experience it conveys.
Ray: I hope audiences walk away with a sense of shared humanity, the idea that grief, struggle, and resilience are universal, but they don’t have to be experienced alone. My variation is about finding strength in connection, about the quiet support we offer one another in difficult times. I want viewers to feel that even in sorrow, there is beauty, and even in isolation, there is a thread that links us together.
Ray: Lamentation Variations is a testament to how timeless ideas can be reshaped and reimagined through different artistic voices. My contribution is part of that ongoing evolution, an exploration of how Graham’s principles of breath, contraction, and emotional depth can be applied to contemporary movement structures and themes. Dance is constantly evolving, but the core of what moves us as human beings remains unchanged. By infusing Graham’s legacy with new perspectives, we continue the conversation she started, ensuring that her influence remains not just preserved, but alive and relevant in today’s dance landscape.
A Detroit native, Ray graduated from The California Institute of the Arts with a B.F.A. in dance. She has performed with the Bruce Wood Dance Project, Walt Disney World Entertainment, and Christopher and Friends, directed by Christopher L. Huggins; in music videos in the U.S. and Europe; and more. She has held faculty positions at DBDT, Bruce Wood Dance, and Bloom, Dallas Black Dance Academy’s performing ensemble. Her choreographic works include Nineteenth, which commemorated the ratification of the 19th Amendment and women’s suffrage; Samson and Delilah, commissioned by The Dallas Opera; and multiple collaborations with the Dallas Museum of Art. Ray is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. This is her 27th season with DBDT and 15th year as Artistic Director of DBDT: Encore!.
