14

On the 150th anniversary of the ratification of the U.S. Constitution’s 14th amendment, Katerina Wong’s 14 investigates the crucial equal protection and birthright citizenship clauses to magnify its problematic history and current significance. The 17-minute piece unravels complex themes of immigration, segregation, marriage equality, gender-based equality, and more, through a multi-layered performance experience with five dancers.

Spoken text is combined with a collage-style sound score of music blended with samples from news broadcasts to set the tone for the deeply powerful and personal work. Stark lighting design by Allen Willner highlights the scenic design by Chad Owens which features five banners of fabric carrying excerpts of the amendment draped overhead. The banners are gradually dropped or pulled down by the dancers throughout the work to transform the space and evoke a constant sense of shifting grounds.

150 years later, the 14th amendment still stands at the heart of many current social and political battlegrounds from immigration reform to abortion rights, from Black Lives Matter to the #MeToo movement. 14 seeks to create an opportunity for communities to reflect, debate, and strive for progress together.