Got My Wings

Creative Alliance Project will present "Got My Wings," a musical composition and ballet inspired by That Bird Has My Wings, the memoir of Jarvis Jay Masters, an innocent man on death row. The piece is written and performed by composer and musician Daniel Blake, with choreography by Tomiko Magario, and featuring an ensemble from Westchester Ballet Company. Following each performance, a panel of formerly incarcerated men and women will share their experiences and reflect on living and coping while in prison.

"Got My Wings" will be presented at Katonah United Methodist Church auditorium, 5 Bedford Road, Katonah, NY, for three performances: Friday, February 3rd at 7 PM, Saturday, February 4th at 7 PM, and Sunday, February 5th at 2 PM. Tickets are $25 at GotMyWings.org. In support of the project, all public libraries in the region are simultaneously doing a community read of Masters' book, chosen for Oprah's Book Club in 2022.

Daniel Blake, composer, performer and activist, describes being deeply moved by Masters' memoir, a spiritual and personal journey. During his years in solitary confinement Masters became a Buddhist and an author. Blake has been able to contact and converse with Masters, developing a relationship despite Masters' incarceration.
While the book is a narrative about Masters' life from early childhood through his time in prison, Blake's score is not focused on the details of that story. "I'm dealing with the topic of freedom - freedom from the limitations and strictures placed upon us by the circumstances of our lives, which for him are extraordinary."
Jarvis Jay Masters, from his cell, also reflects on freedom:

"When I speak of home, I'm speaking of keeping my heart soft and strong, and not letting this place bring the worst out of anybody."

In his memoir, Masters describes his inner transformation from anger and despair to compassion and inner peace. "My heart was opened by his achievement," says Blake. "That he could write his book in solitary confinement, that he could become connected to his core humanity in those circumstances - it is a deep testament to the potential of the human spirit."

Blake is also the producer of three albums of his original music. He has toured with Esperanza Spalding, Julian Lage, and is a recipient of the 2022 New York State Council On the Arts Fellowship. He produces the annual Concert To Feed The Hungry, a fundraising event celebrating the struggle to end hunger and malnutrition in poor communities around the world. He holds a Ph.D. in composition from the City University of New York and is currently on faculty at the New School for Social Research, and at the Conservatory at Brooklyn College.

Tania Leon, Pulitzer Prize winner and Kennedy Center 2022 honoree said "Daniel Blake is a talent whose time has come. He is doing great things."

Choreographer Tomiko Magario studied at Joffrey Ballet School, Alvin Ailey American Dance Center and teaches a training course at Gelsey Kirkland Academy of Classical Ballet. She describes the ballet as "in service to Blake's music." Talking about her creative process, she says that many of the shapes and gestures of the piece were developed in rehearsals. The young dancers of the Westchester Ballet were "open," they "did not hide behind technique." Magario wanted to maintain the honest feeling behind the movements. "My job was to make it cohesive," she said.

Westchester Ballet Company, a nonprofit based in Ossining, is known for its high level of classical training and professional productions. Board President Amy Harte says,
"It's hard to find the words to express fully what being a part of the Got My Wings project has meant for our ballet company.
The piece demands empathy and awareness. The experience has given our young dancers a profound understanding of
how the arts can inform, educate, and facilitate civil discourse and engagement."

Creative Alliance Project, a nonprofit based in Katonah, encourages broad community involvement in the arts in order to promote equity and justice.
Mindy Yanish, founder of Creative Alliance Project, shares Blake's vision. Reflecting on this project, Yanish says,
"Got My Wings" is the most socially and artistically significant project CAP has produced. It is a privilege to work with a world class artistic team that is calling attention to injustices embedded in our culture through dedication to equity and compassion."

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Price: General Admission: USD 25.00

Artists: Daniel Blake, Tomiko Magario, Westchester Ballet,

Time: 7:00 pm to 8:30 pm

Venue Name: Katonah United Methodist Church Auditorium