November 17, 2025
Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts (MCLA) is proud to present acclaimed dance duo Baye & Asa for an evening of groundbreaking performance and film, hosted by MOSAIC, MCLA’s public program for open arts and intersectional culture. The event will take place on Friday, Nov. 21 at 7 p.m. in Venable Theatre, and feature a live performance of “Suck It Up,” followed by a screening of the award-winning short dance film “Second Seed,” and a conversation with the artists.
Blending hip-hop and African dance languages with contemporary dance and theatrical storytelling, Baye & Asa create work that challenges audiences to confront urgent social issues through physical movement and emotional resonance. Their piece “Suck It Up” explores the violent fallout of male insecurity and entitlement through dynamic choreography and visceral physicality, while “Second Seed” confronts the myths of white victimhood presented in D.W. Griffith’s “Birth of a Nation.”
“MOSAIC is thrilled to bring Baye & Asa to campus and back to the Berkshires,” said Jeremy Winchester, director of MOSAIC and MCLA professor of theatre. “Their work addresses a need for empathy in an increasingly violent society. As we face the challenge of these times, the conversations their work sparks help us to better build the community we want to live in.”
This event is free and open to the public.
About MCLA
At MCLA, we're here for all — and focused on each — of our students. Classes are taught by educators who care deeply about teaching, and about seeing their students thrive on every level of their lives. In every way possible, the experience at MCLA is designed to elevate our students as individuals, leaders, and communicators, fully empowered to make their impressions on the world. In addition to our 130-year commitment to public education, we have fortified our dedication to equitable academic excellence. MCLA has appeared on U.S. News & World Report's list of Top Ten Public Colleges for 11 consecutive years, earning the No. 6 spot on the list of Top Public Liberal Arts Schools in the nation for 2026. The College's focus on affordable education and economic prosperity is reflected in additional 2026 U.S. News rankings: No. 6 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for liberal arts colleges in the state and No. 4 for Top Performer on Social Mobility for public liberal arts colleges in the country. These rankings measure how well schools graduate students who receive Federal Pell Grants. Learn more at www.mcla.edu.
