Dancers honor separated families during RiseUp AS ONE at U.S-Mexico border

SAN DIEGO—Movement artist Lil Buck has performed all over the world, but this weekend he brought his creativity to a location that’s been dominating news headlines lately: he presented his Memphis-style jooking moves just a few feet away from the U.S.-Mexico border.

Supported by Sprint.

“We did research on what’s happening at the border and we saw a lot of crazy things,” Lil Buck told me moments after he left the RiseUp AS ONE concert stage.

He performed with Jon Boogz at RiseUp AS ONE, a concert to celebrate music, diversity, and unity on the U.S.-Mexico border near San Diego, California.

“When you have talent it becomes more than just a gift, it becomes a responsibility,” said Lil Buck.

Both artists said they were moved to create their performance after they saw videos of children reaching out to touch their parents through the metal bars that make the border wall.

The artists started their performance on opposite sides of the RiseUp AS ONE stage to depict two family members who are trying to reach out but can’t touch each other.

“We really wanted to connect with the people and let them know through our movement that we understand,” Boogz told Fusion.

“We know what it feels like to be not wanted, [to be] an outcast, to be pushed out,” said Boogz.

Lil Buck and Boogz told me that they believe dance can be used to start conversations that bring people closer together.

“We believe dance is not just entertainment, it’s a tool to empower, a tool to educate and a tool to break down boundaries and barriers,” said Boogz.

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