Wade in the water- (Souffle Creole Collection)

Wade in the Water pays homage to Alvin Ailey’s groundbreaking choreography and the spiritual depth of the African American experience. Drawing inspiration from the celebrated “Revelations” dance suite, the painting captures a moment of sacred movement and communal grace at the ocean’s edge. Three figures—two women in flowing white dresses and a man in white trousers—move in unison under a glowing sun haloed by radiant beams. The central female figure holds a white parasol, referencing the symbolic imagery often seen in the "Wade in the Water" performance.

The figures are poised in a dynamic blend of reverence and rhythm, their bare feet touching the foamy shoreline. The scene evokes baptism, deliverance, and ancestral memory. The parasol, often used in spiritual and cultural ceremonies, doubles as a conduit to the heavens, blending with the clouds and connecting the divine to the earthly realm.

With vibrant blues, radiant yellows, and soft pinks, the color palette mirrors the themes of transcendence and liberation. This painting celebrates the enduring cultural legacy of the Black diaspora and the way dance, water, and spirit intertwine as carriers of both history and hope.

Note:" Katherine Dunham's time in Martinique was significant for her ethnographic research and dance choreography. She visited Martinique as part of her broader Caribbean field studies in 1935-1936, documenting traditional dances and cultural practices. She filmed the ag'va (a combat dance) and biguine in Martinique, which later inspired her choreography. Her work in Martinique was also influential in developing the Dunham Technique which integrates elements of ballet and Caribbean forms. 
Alvin Ailey and Katherine Dunham share a significant connection in dance history. Alvin Ailey was deeply inspired by Katherine Dunham's company, which he saw as a teenager, calling her technique "the closest thing to a unified Afro-American dance existing". Dunham's work, which blended African and Caribbean rhythms with modern dance, profoundly influenced Ailey's career. Ailey later commissioned Dunham's work "Choros" and produced "The Magic of Katherine Dunham," an evening-length performance featuring her most celebrated ballets. "