Who you are and what is your role with Creative Netwerk?

I'm King Charles Parks, Creative Director of Creative Netwerk. I provide all different types of services from curriculum development, to teaching, to mentorship to creative ideas for different projects. I am one of the founders of the Dance Camp that we do called CFology under Creative Netwerk. I am the founder of the event called Footwork Frenzy that brings people together from all walks of life for dance. And lastly, I'm also a member of the same crew as Kelli, who's the Executive Director of Creative Netwerk. We do a lot of community building nationally and internationally, with all ages, to provide services for folks within the arts and nutrition and mental health and physical health.

Can you share what the Jazz Continuum by LaTasha Barnes was?

Yes, it was an event to celebrate different types of dance and cultural roots of African American communities. And I was one of the performers who was welcomed in as a cousin to this family affair. They've been touring this show across the US and have been reaching out to local artists where they perform to share into the melting pot of these deeply rooted dances and songs. The performance was constantly changing, but was wrapped around a certain type of structure, that navigated us through the entire show. From Lindy Hop, to all different types of jazz, to origins tribal African dances, to native Chicago footwork dances, to tap, there were lot of these different types of styles. Most of the time when you're doing a show, the main focus is to entertain the audience. What was so awesome was that at th beginning of this show, the host came on the mic and told the audience, “This is not a showcase for you guys. This is an offering.” The audience enjoyed us so much even as we were experimenting and just being ourselves. Not having to put on a certain type of costume or face - I just never really experienced that before. At the end of the show, the energy was so big in the crowd that they just kept playing music, and then the whole entire audience just ran on the stage. You know, we're talking about all different backgrounds, races. Everything. 

What was different about the preparation for the performance?

There was such loving, supportive energy. I learned some line dances that I've never learned before, and other performers were learning some Chicago footwork. It was educational. Every time before we did the show, we had a circle lab where we checked in with each other to see how each other were doing. The thing I liked about that was that there was a lot of honesty in the room. Sometimes people said “Today I'm not doing good.” We got to embrace that in the show and see where it would take us differently than it took us the day before. It really hit me that we could be that open with each other and use it as productivity in our artistry. 

What was the setting and audience like? Where did this take place?

It took place at the Columbia College Dance Theater for three nights. The stage was lit up with all different types of lighting that felt very jazzy. The floor was perfect. I was scared, because I thought it was going to be Marley - black and sticky - but it was actually wood. The colors that the performers wore were super colorful - loud pink and yellow and orange - and beautiful costuming. The band was awesome. There was a bass, a guitar player, a saxophone player, a drummer and a DJ. The leader of the band was coincidentally from Chicago. They were all just as much a part of the performance as the dancers. It was all integrated perfectly. There were moments where a dancer would choose a musician in the moment, and then they would freestyle with each other. I was just so shocked at how many changes there were constantly in the show. I learned the whole show the night before, right after I flew in, and they threw me in, like throwing a kid in water and just hoping that they learn how to survive and swim. There wasn't a lot of like breakdown. And I understood why later because the goal wasn’t for me to look exactly like everyone, because no one looks exactly like everyone, and yet still we’re all saying the same thing with our performance. 

How did this performance relate to your work with Creative Netwerk?

I think a lot about our teachers that are working on performances with the CN kids in these different programs and classes. I want there to be empowerment included in building that chemistry and that melting pot that was fostered in the Jazz Continuum.  

What did you learn and take away from the experience?

It was also a good reminder for myself to give things a chance - I didn’t work this hard to just hide in my comfort zone styles of dance - it was a reminder to get comfortable with the uncomfortable again.