YADAH (to throw; to cast down)
Performed by: Billy J. Hawkains III
Choreography by: Billy J. Hawkains lll
Music by: Billy J. Hawkains lll
Photo by: Peter J. Brown
Billy James Hawkains III, dancer, choreographer, filmmaker, and writer, is the first African American male to graduate with an MFA in dance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro in over fifteen years. Hailing from the streets of Detroit, Michigan, he was first introduced to dance at age fourteen from the pews of his hometown Baptist church and obtained a BFA in dance performance from the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) shortly after. As a performing artist, Billy danced with Theatre of Movement, a multidisciplinary art organization led by the artistic vision of Duane Cyrus, and performed world-renowned works by Merce Cunningham, Doug Varone, Juel D. Lane, and many more. His unique movement style has no boundaries. It can be described as visceral, rhythmic, and athletic, integrating various dance languages from Ballet, Modern, Afro-contemporary, House, and Flow Acrobatics. As an independent artist, Billy continues to integrate dance and film for artistic creations and regularly teaches dance workshops throughout his local community in tandem with his research on the practice and philosophy of Soft/Flow Acrobatics.