On Earth Together is inspired by and set to the music of Stevie Wonder. The piece takes its name from Wonder’s moving ballad, ‘You and I’ and is a study in compassion and relationships, not just between individuals but between individuals and the world around them. In several moments, there are pairs dancing with, and to, each other, expressing the theme of connectedness and care.
The more I discover and imagine, I see the work as a commitment to making the world a better place: a loving & compassionate place to celebrate a world-view. The music of Stevie Wonder often speaks to the state of the world, asking questions of oneself and to society at large.
– Ronald K. Brown
The movement vocabulary in On Earth Together relates to purpose and carving a way. In 2012, Brown added a new section, Everybody at the Table, which includes the inspirational ‘Higher Ground,’ strengthening the sense of commitment and promising better days ahead.
Co-commissioning support is provided by NJPAC Alternate Routes/New Jersey Performing Arts Center, University of Florida Performing Arts, Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts, the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts, Alabama Dance Council, and Reginald Van Lee. This piece was created in part during residencies at The Tisch Dance Residency Festival
