The Cave

We’ve all lived in the cave—shaped by shadows, assumptions, and stories we were told to believe. The Cave is my choreographic response to the moment you begin to see the light—and the cost of naming it out loud.

Inspired by Plato’s allegory, this ballet explores what happens when someone wakes up to a deeper truth—and then finds they no longer belong. The piece wrestles with the isolation that follows awakening: the experience of being dismissed, misunderstood, or even rejected by the very community you once called home.

The Cave is personal for me. As a woman of color in a predominantly white, classical world—and as a person of faith who doesn’t always align with the loudest voices in the room—I know what it feels like to see things differently. And I know how lonely that can be.

Through stark contrast, layered ensemble work, and moments of confrontation and clarity, this ballet traces the journey from conformity to courage. It’s about stepping outside the familiar—not to abandon people, but to call them to more.

Because once you’ve seen the light, you can’t unsee it.
And even if they call you strange, you keep walking toward truth.