Tristian Griffin's Black Palimpsest Performance

THE BLACK PALIMPSEST is a choreographic and sonic offering that traverses Durham’s sacred landscapes, centering the Stagville Historic Site—once among the South’s largest plantations. Through movement, sound, and ritual, ancestral memory rises from the soil, carrying stories of pain, resistance, and rebirth. Guided by Tristian, a collective of artists—dancer, poet, singer, DJ, visual artist, and musicians—conjure layered histories that shape Black identity. At its heart, Tristian searches for ancestral truth, suspended between fact and intuition. In communion with the land, THE BLACK PALIMPSEST becomes both remembrance and revelation—an invocation of spirit, lineage, and enduring Black presence.

Featured collaborating artists: Pheenix Leeor, Trevor Turla, Dr. Poet T.L. Sanders, Maya Freelon, and BADALASKAN

Location
The performance takes place at The Great Barn, located on the campus of the Stagville Historic Site
Address: 6026 Jock Rd, Bahama, NC 27503

Guests wishing to provide their own transportation to the venue should plan to arrive prior to showtime starting at 4 PM

Charter Bus Transportation (with no ADA compliant)
Charter transportation will be provided from the Rubenstein Arts Center, Durham
Address: 2020 Campus Dr, Suite 209, Durham, NC 27708

Boarding: 3:20 pm – 3:40 pm in the back of RAC
Departure: The bus will depart promptly at 3:40 pm

The shuttle includes a history talk about Stagville and Durham, presented by Stagville descendant Michael Williams.

Performance Schedule
Start time: 4:15 pm
End time: Approximately 5:00 pm

The bus will return back to RAC promptly after the performance.

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Host or Publisher Tristian Griffin Dance Company