Urban Bush Women: Mikaila Ware

Feb 16

Urban Bush Women, badass Brooklyn performers, are here in Durham! Watch how they change the world this Friday and Saturday, at Reynolds Industries Theater. We caught up with one of these amazing women, Mikaila Ware:

One beauty stereotype you wish you could dance away for good?
I have a love/hate relationship with makeup. Specifically, contouring my nose has been hitch kicked away. I stopped doing it because I felt like I wasn’t embracing the beautiful long and thick nose that I naturally have.

Do Brooklyn roots figure into your performance?
So far, I’ve lived in Brooklyn for about 4 years, and the neighborhood has definitely shaped the way I engage with people. Connecting with folks on the stoop, the bus, block parties, and rooftop jams have all strengthened my sense of community. These are the spaces where I learned how to show up for myself and others. That awareness has shifted the way in which I perform.

Hair is____________.
Hair is ritual. Doing my hair is one of my most grounding practices. My hair teaches me patience and acceptance. It reveals my lineage and the ways in which I prioritize myself. My hair is one of my truth-tellers. I find knowledge in its: moisture lock, tight grip, flexible hold, sleek drip, oil-enriched, liberated strands, weaving pathways, soft touch, and most of all, its shedding.

Southern food you cannot wait to eat?
My ma’s pork chops! It’s the seasoning, the crispiness….and the gravy! My Gawd…

Are leg warmers still a thing?
That will be a flat-out no. Ha! During high school, leg warmers were more for styling purposes, and me wanting to emphasize my leg extensions (trying to get my toe to reach the heavens). Today, if I even think about wanting to touch my toes, I need my back, hips, hamstrings, and even neck to release! I love wearing leggings or some type of long sleeve bodysuit underneath my rehearsal clothes. I need my entire body insulated for these New York studios!

Urban Bush Women, Hair and Other Stories

at Reynolds Industries Theater:

February 18th, 2022, 8pm buy tickets

February 19th, 2022, 8pm buy tickets

Special Thanks to Duke Arts for sponsoring this post.