The Grave’s Tears

kNoname Artist | Roderick George

Photo by Maria Baranova

February 12-14, 2026
Runtime: 62 minutes

Feb. 13 Stay Late Conversation moderated by Kyle Abraham

Artistic Director & Choreographer: Roderick George
Music: Jace Clayton
Lighting Designer: Tanja Rühl

Associate Lighting Designer: Connor Sale
Costume Design: Lauren Carmen
Rehearsal Director: Daniel Harder

Performers:
MJ Edwards
Roderick George
Peter Mazurowski
Demetris Michaelides
Zack Sommer
Alex Soulliere
Jonathan Wade

Bios

Roderick George (Choreographer/Performer/Director) was born and raised in Houston, Texas. He began his dance training at Ben Stevenson’s Houston Ballet Academy and continued his studies at The Alvin Ailey School and the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA), developing a practice grounded in both classical and contemporary movement traditions.

George has danced professionally with Cedar Lake Contemporary Ballet, Basel Ballet/Theater Basel, GöteborgsOperans Danskompani, and The Forsythe Company. His performance career has included collaborations with choreographers working across ballet and contemporary forms, experiences that continue to inform his choreographic approach and commitment to physical rigor, clarity, and embodied research.

In 2015, George founded kNoname Artist, a Berlin-founded, New York City–based collective created to support collaborative authorship and shared creative agency. The company develops project-based work that reflects lived experience and engages sociopolitical realities, centering care, memory, and community as generative forces.

George’s choreographic work has been presented by institutions and festivals including Jacob’s Pillow, New York City Center (Fall for Dance Festival 2024 and 2025), New York Live Arts, Suzanne Dellal, Zurich Tanzhaus, Sophiensæle Festspiele, Pavilion Noir | Ballet Preljocaj, Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, Pocantico Art Center, HarlemStage, Guild Hall, and Fall for Dance North / NIGHTSHIFT.

His work has been supported through the following honors and awards: YoungArts Winner and Presidential Scholar of the Arts (2003); Youth America Grand Prix Bronze Medalist (2005); Emerging Choreographer, Youth America Grand Prix (2012); Emerging Choreographer, Springboard Danse Montréal (2013); YoungArts Fellow (2021–2022); Mertz Gilmore Dancer Award (2023–2026); National Performance Network Creation & Development Fund Awardee (2024); inaugural Jacob’s Pillow Men Dancers Award (2024); Princess Grace Award (2024); Princess Grace Artist Fellowship Grant with support from The MAP Fund (2025); and New England Foundation for the Arts Finalist (2025).

Across his work as a maker and collaborator, George remains committed to creating environments that honor collective labor, amplify marginalized histories, and sustain artistic practice through care and shared responsibility.

 

MJ Edwards (Performer) is a dance artist whose work is rooted in physical clarity, emotional intelligence, and a deep commitment to embodied storytelling. A native of Middletown, New York, they began their professional training at Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School, where their early development established a strong technical foundation and an emerging artistic curiosity. MJ continued their training at MOVE|NYC|, Co-Founded/Co-Directed by Nigel Campbell and Chanel DaSilva, performing works by influential choreographers including Shamel Pitts, Yin Yue, and Gregory Dolbashian. These experiences shaped their sensitivity to musicality, structure, and contemporary movement vocabularies. In 2017, MJ joined the San Francisco Ballet School, where their creative voice was formally recognized through the 2018–2019 Choreographic Fellowship, supporting their growth not only as a performer but also as a maker. Their artistry received national recognition in 2019 when MJ was named a YoungArts Winner in Modern/Contemporary and awarded the Meringoff Family Foundation Valedictory Prize, affirming the depth of their artistic presence and potential. MJ went on to attend The Juilliard School, collaborating with acclaimed choreographers such as Ohad Naharin, Sonya Tayeh, Amy Hall Garner, and Andrea Miller, further expanding their range, versatility, and interpretive nuance. Beyond institutional settings, MJ has contributed as an artistic assistant and performer with FHP Collective, directed by Francesca Harper, and kNoname Artist, directed by Roderick George, engaging in collaborative processes that prioritize experimentation and cultural inquiry. In 2021, MJ joined the Limón Dance Company, not only entering a lineage-driven practice that emphasizes humanism, musicality, and expressive depth, but also working closely with established and emerging choreographers, Azure Barton, Kayla Farrish, and Raúl Tamez. Most recently, MJ’s artistry was honored with a 2024 Princess Grace Award, a distinction that reflects the rigor of their training, the integrity of their artistic voice, and their continued impact as a performer in the field of contemporary dance.

 

Daniel S. Harder (Rehearsal Director) began dancing at Suitland High School’s Center for the Visual and Performing Arts in Maryland and received additional training at the Dance Institute of Washington, Debbie Allen Dance Academy, The Ailey School and Dance Theater of Harlem. Upon graduating, Mr. Harder attended the Ailey/Fordham BFA Program in Dance on full scholarship, where he had the opportunity to work with and perform works by world renown choreographers. Before graduating in 2009, he danced in an international tour of West Side Story, with Camille A. Brown & Dancers, and The Francesca Harper Project. Daniel became a member of Ailey II in 2009 and joined the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater in 2010, under the direction of Judith Jamison, where he was featured in works by Alvin Ailey, Rennie Harris, Wayne McGregor, Hans van Manen, Aszure Barton, Ulysses Dove, and Kyle Abraham, to name a few. Currently, Daniel can be seen on Broadway in Disney’s THE LION KING and as a guest artist with Ronald K. Brown’s EVIDENCE, A Dance Company. Mr. Harder has had the privilege to work as a choreographer’s assistant with powerhouses including Debbie Allen, Ray Mercer and Christopher L. Huggins at The Ailey School, Lula Washington Dance Theater, Philadanco, Dallas Black Dance Theater and Collage Dance Collective. When Mr. Harder is not performing, he serves as the rehearsal director for kNoname Artist, and teaches master classes at high schools and universities in the U.S. and abroad.

 

Peter Mazurowski (Performer) is a freelance artist based in New York. At age 13, Mazurowski made his Broadway debut as Billy in Billy Elliot: the Musical. He played the title role in over 140 performances and was part of the closing cast. Mazurowski later danced as a junior apprentice for Urbanity Dance and was a trainee with Boston Ballet. He joined Charlotte Ballet as a first company member in 2016, where he danced for five seasons under the direction of Jean-Pierre Bonnefoux and Hope Muir. In 2021, he joined Benjamin Millepied’s LA Dance Project as a company member, where he danced for three seasons. Throughout his professional career, Mazurowski has performed works by Jiří Kylián, Ohad Naharin, Johan Inger, Bobbi Jene Smith & Or Schraiber, Alonzo King, Christian Spuck, Helen Pickett, Stephanie Martinez, Medhi Walerski, Ulysses Dove, Bryan Arias and many others. He is currently an artist with PARA.MAR Dance Theatre, Hélène Simoneau Danse, Chamber Dance Project, and Pony Box Dance Theatre.

 

Demetris Michaelides (Performer) is from Nicosia, Cyprus where he began his dance training. During this time, he worked with instructors across Cyprus and Greece. In 2023 and at just 17 years old, Demetris was accepted in the Boston Conservatory with a full-tuition scholarship. Since 2023, Demetris has been a student at the Boston Conservatory at Berklee, where he continuously works on his technique and artistry alongside exceptional instructors and artists, such as Kurt Douglas, John D Lam and many more. Demetris has worked with worldwide respected artists such as Aszure Barton, Ken Ossola, Peter Chu, Akira Uchida and many more. Now, at 20 years old, Demetris wants to continue his exploration of textures, qualities and artistry in his craft, push the boundaries of what dance is and what it can be and possibly inspire and challenge others to question the world around them through his art.  

 

Zack Sommer (Performer) is a native of San Diego, California. He completed his early dance training at Danceology Performing Arts Campus before attending The Juilliard School where he graduated with a BFA in 2024. During his time there, he had many performance opportunities, including performances of works by distinguished choreographers like Medhi Walerski, Aszure Barton, and Ohad Naharin. Zack’s early accomplishments include being recognized as SPOTLIGHT’s Grand Prize Finalist and a YoungArts Award Winner. Zack has also attended many summer programs, such as Springboard Danse Montreal, Ballet BC 44, The School at Jacob’s Pillow, and Arts Umbrella where he was able to study numerous masterworks and has been in new creations with Ethan Colangelo, Akira Yoshida, and Helen Pickett. During his senior year, Zack was a Guest Artist with Ballet BC and with Gibney Company. Upon graduation, Zack joined Gibney Company as an Artistic Associate, and has worked with choreographers like Johan Inger, William Forsythe, Emilie Leriche, Roy Assaf, Lucinda Childs and more, and is thrilled to be continuing in his second season with the company.  Sommer appears as a guest of Gibney Company and this is Zack’s first performance with Knoname Artist under Roderick George.

 

Alex Soulliere (Performer) is an American freelance dancer, teacher, choreographer and rehearsal director currently based between the United States and the United Kingdom. He is a current member of Roderick George’s kNoname Artist, a former dancer and rehearsal assistant with the London based Rambert Dance Company and a graduate from the Juilliard School under the direction of Lawrence Rhodes. During his four years at The Juilliard School, Soulliere performed  works by world-renowned choreographers including Crystal Pite, Ohad Naharin, Aszure Barton, Richard  Alston, Pam Tanowitz, Gustavo Ramirez Sansano, José Limón and Jerome Robbins. He became a member of The Juilliard GLUCK Fellowship, where he helped curate, choreograph and perform at hospitals and schools across New York City. During this time he also worked with the Cleveland based Ground Works Dance Theatre as a guest artist for their 2015 summer season, and later performed duet work at Le Festival des Arts de Saint-Sauveur for choreographer Ethan Colangelo. Upon graduation, he completed a summer long residency with Alan Lucien Øyen at The BANFF Center for the Arts and Creativity, and later performed for Jasmine Ellis in Munich, Germany. In 2018, Soulliere moved to London to join the Rambert Dance Company, under the direction of Benoit Swan Pouffer. For six years he worked with Rambert as a dancer, and later as a Rehearsal Assistant in 2024. At Rambert, he performed works by Sharon Eyal, Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui, Hofesh Shechter, Imre and Marne van Opstal, Wayne McGregor, Wim Vandekeybus, Jo Strømgren, Alonzo King, Marion Motin, Merce Cunningham, Jill Johnson, Ben Duke and Benoit Swan Pouffer. Commercially, Soulliere has performed at Vogue World London, the BAFTA’s, The Closing Ceremonies for the Commonwealth Games, The BBC Olympic Homecoming Event, the 2025 launch party for Belmond and The Fred and Adel Astaire Awards. He appeared in the August 2023 issue of Vogue Magazine alongside Naomi Campbell, and has performed live with artists FKA Twigs, Laura Mvula and Moon Vs Sun. He can also be seen in The Avalanches’s music video “We Will Always Love You” as well as a 2024 “World AIDS Day” social media campaign for MAC Cosmetics UK. As a teacher, Soulliere has taught and assisted classes across the  UnitedKingdom, Canada, France, Italy, Australia, India and the United States. His choreography has  been presented at Rambert’s choreographic platform “The Loom” and at Eisenhower Dance Detroit’s  “NewDANCEfest” 2025.

 

Jonathan Wade (Performer), originally from Miami, Florida is an American dancer, teacher and choreographer based in the United States. He is a current performer with Roderick George’s kNoname Artist, a former dancer of the London based Rambert Dance Company as well as a former cast member for the National tour of “Miss Saigon”. Starting his career at the age of four, he toured nationally with the Broadway musical “Miss Saigon” for almost three years. This early performance experience led him to further his dance training, where he eventually became a National YoungArts winner in 2015. Following the guidance of his mentors, Wade attended Springboard Danse Montreal, under the direction of Alexandra Wells, where he performed works by choreographers Marco Goeke and Jason Mabana. In 2017 Wade moved to New York City, where he began an apprenticeship with Parsons Dance Company, and participated in choreographic residencies with Hope Boykin and Lauren Lovette. In 2021, Wade was offered a contract with Rambert 2, the junior cohort of the world-renowned London based contemporary dance company Rambert, under the direction of Benoit Swan Pouffer. In his year with the company, he performed works by Sharon Eyal, Micaela Taylor, Andrea Miller, and Benoit Swan Pouffer. The following year, Wade was promoted to the main company, where he remained a full time company member for three years. Working with Rambert has allowed him to perform works by numerous choreographers from around the world, amongst which include Imre & Marne Van Opstal, Wim Vandekybus, Alonzo King and Jill Johnson. Alongside his contemporary work, he has recently been seen at Vogue World alongside FKA Twigs, at the 2024 BAFTAs, at Belmond’s 2025 season launch and with Laura Mvula at the closing ceremonies for the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Throughout his career he has taken great interest in choreography, most recently presenting work at Eisenhower Dance Detroit’s “NewDANCEfest” 2025, as well as presenting his duet work“Merry Go Round” at Rambert’s choreographic platform “The Loom” in 2023. He also works as a masterclass teacher, teaching young people and professionals around the UK and America.

 

Kyle Abraham (Moderator) (Founder and Artistic Director, A.I.M by Kyle Abraham; He/Him) has premiered his work to international audiences and acclaim since 2006 and has been profiled in Document Journal, Vanity Fair, Ebony, Harper’s Bazaar, Kinfolk, O Magazine, Paper, Surface, Vogue & Vogue UK, and W Magazine, among many others. He was recently nominated for an Olivier Award for Best New Dance Production (2025 – An Untitled Love at Sadler’s Wells) and the Rose Prize for International Dance (2025 – An Untitled Love), and is the recipient of numerous honors including a National Dance Critics Award for Choreography (2024 – Are You in Your Feelings / Alvin Ailey Dance Theater), Dance Magazine Award (2022), Princess Grace Statue Award (2018), Doris Duke Award (2016), and The MacArthur Fellowship (2013). In addition to performing and developing new works for his company, Abraham has been commissioned by American Ballet Theatre, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, The National Ballet of Cuba, New York City Ballet, Paul Taylor American Modern Dance, and The Royal Ballet. In 2024, he premiered three new works to much acclaim: the evening-length Cassette Vol. 1 in Hamburg, Germany; Mercurial Son for American Ballet Theatre; and Dear Lord, Make Me Beautiful at the Park Avenue Armory, which Jennifer Homans of The New Yorker called an “extraordinary dance memoir.” Abraham has also curated performance series for Danspace Project and Lincoln Center’s Summer for the City, served as the first-ever guest editor for Dance Magazine, and currently holds the Claude and Alfred Mann Endowed Professorship in Dance at USC’s Glorya Kaufman School of Dance. He serves on the advisory boards of Dance Magazine and Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and is a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the inaugural Black Genius Brain Trust, and the inaugural cohort of the Dorchester Industries Experimental Design Lab.

Funding

The first iteration of the production was commissioned by Gibney as part of the organization’s DoublePlus program for the 2023-2024 Season, curated by Gibney Center Artistic Director Nigel Campbell and Kyle Abraham.

The Grave’s Tears was developed as part of the Guild Hall William P. Rayner Artist-in-Residence program, with additional support from New York Live Arts’ Live Feed Residency, supported by Partners for New Performance, Williams College, and the Schwarzman Center at Yale University.

kNoname Artist – Roderick George is a 2025 NDP Finalist Grant Award recipient. Support was made possible by the New England Foundation for the Arts’ National Dance Project with funding from the Doris Duke Foundation and the Mellon Foundation in support of The Grave’s Tears and to address continued sustainability needs.

The production received support from the National Performance Network Creation & Development Fund.

The Grave’s Tears is commissioned by Le Manège, Scène Nationale – Reims.

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