The Process – A.J. Collabs at Atlas Arts Lab
What is the Atlas Arts Lab?
The Atlas Arts Lab is a program of the Atlas Performing Arts Center that provides a platform for individual artists to develop new work and to serve the community through engagement initiatives that encourage civic dialogue and community cohesion. The program facilitates artistic growth and development for artists whose work explores the ideas and issues of our time. The Atlas Arts Lab prioritizes artists who act as change agents for the betterment of our society, culture, and world.
About Anastasia Johnson:
Anastasia Johnson is the founder of A.J. Collabs, a movement-based company that uses education, community engagement, and performance to shed light on the Black experience. Through themes of Black love, Black girl magic, Black church, Black artistry, Black joy, and Black oppression, Johnson’s work aims to spark meaningful conversations and celebrate cultural identity.
About Color Me (Curly): Detangled Stories:
Color Me (Curly): Detangled Stories is a multidisciplinary performance that explores the complex cultural, emotional, and political landscape of Black hair. Rooted in storytelling, this original work amplifies various narratives through a fusion of movement, voice, and sound—creating an intimate and powerful reflection on Black identity.
Detangled Stories centers the lived experiences that surround hair care, styling, and self-expression. From joyful childhood memories of beads and braids to the resilience behind protective styles, this work honors the richness of Black hair culture while challenging the systems that have historically tried to suppress it..
Ages: All Ages. Run Time: 1 hour at Atlas Performing Arts Center
June 22 at 4:00 pm
Color Me (Curly): Detangled Stories
Throughout the performance, audiences will journey through themes of self-love, communal acceptance, and personal transformation. The work also confronts deeper issues such as texturism, elitism, and discrimination within and outside of the Black community—raising questions about beauty standards, professionalism, and belonging.
This new work invites audiences to witness Black hair not just as style or trend, but as a profound and ongoing act of survival, joy, and self-definition.
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