Artist Spotlight: Jamar "Jammer" Welch

"[Be] prideful for who we are. The style. The rhythm. The creativity that is in us." - Jammer

We often consider the limelight a commander of the artist, a power that grants voice to performance, glimmering with the chance of being seen. There are, however, a few who flip the relationship between shine and artist by beckoning the light itself; Bay Area Creative’s Jamar “Jammer” is one of those few.

Stages, rehearsals, performances, and a red curtain; the world of theatrics has followed Jamar since before his birth, his mother being a playwright and poet herself. Under her influence, Jamar entered the sphere of dance at the East Bay Center of Performing Arts, which quickly became a steadfast home for his career development. Here, he quickly encountered his first chance to take center stage with his mother’s play, “The Old Lady and the Deli Boy” - he was not, however, included in the original ensemble. It was one dire show night when a performer unexpectedly dropped out last minute, and despite being only nine years old, Jamar had memorized all the lines and choreography. That desperate night turned into a launchpad for the young dancer, as he worked the stage as well as any casted member.

Jamar’s start at East Bay Center for Performing Arts was only a humble beginning. He originally began teaching hip-hop at the institution as a form of community service, but his exceptional abilities were abundantly clear; not only does he teach skill, but he also passes the value of experience, dedication, and knowledge - and though he continues to teach there today, the artist has lived a myriad of lives since then. At 18 years old, East Bay Center for Performing Arts offered him a proper position, and his career skyrocketed quickly. By the age of 20, Jamar had been invited to teach both nationally and internationally. Upon his exponential growth, he took his career out of the Bay Area and to Los Angeles, where an encounter with producer Travis Payne opened a multitude of doors.

Thanks to his connection with Payne, Jamar was thrust into the glamorous yet coveted world of Hollywood, where he found the opportunity to dance with Usher in his “Magic Hour” tour. He continued to perform alongside Madonna, Beyoncé, Eddie Murphy, and Michael Jackson, among many others. While some of his performances were live and took place on stage, he also worked in front of the camera, starring in music videos, award shows, and commercials.

Though Jamar spent a fulfilling 13 years in LA, he eventually moved back home to the Bay Area, where he confesses to the difference in culture. “People here are artists for art’s sake,” he reflects, noting on the sacrifice of authenticity that often comes with the glitz and sparkle of mainstream Hollywood. And though he has spent his time among the lights, cameras, and red carpets, struggle is not a foreign concept to Jamar; the artist remembers numerous injuries, some of which occur while on tour. Additionally, low pay and disrespect among performers are common occurrences, despite their immense investment. “It feels like we’re at the bottom of the totem pole, sometimes,” Jamar confesses. Despite ongoing cycles of hardship, however, he continues to show up - as an artist, teacher, and lover of the craft. It is something he continues to do as innately as the act of breathing.

"People here are artists for art's sake."

As of recently, Jamar remained a dancer for Oakland trio Tony! Toni! Toné! until member D’Wayne Wiggins’s solemn death this past March. Since then, Jamar has continued to exercise his teaching skills through Bay Area Creative, working with students 4 times a week in after-school programs across Richmond. He additionally teaches for East Bay Center for Performing Arts, as well as develops choreography for other dance groups. His steadfast and genuine dedication to teaching the Bay Area’s youth has impacted the community greatly; last October, Jamar was presented with an award of recognition from the city of Richmond, which included a short documentary in his honor. In addition to his teaching accomplishments, the performer celebrated the publication of his poetry book, Alive and Well, this past summer. Currently, he is working on further collections of poetry and his upcoming memoir, aimed at merging the various experiences that have shaped him.

Like all artists, dedication and grit are Jamar's ultimate guides to his current achievements. He credits his influences, which include his mother, daughter, and students, as well as hardship, as testaments to his growth. Like pieces of an ever-complex puzzle, they stitch his life together into a mural of endless shapes, colors, and stories, all of which he works to pass to future generations of artists. From the son of a poetess-playwright, to a Hollywood contact, and back home to a Bay Area legend, Jamar reminds us to “be careful about the way you inspire,” and that at the heart of it all, the most significant aspect of true artistry is “just being proud and prideful for who we are. The style. The rhythm. The creativity that is in us.”

The Cost of Culture and Selling Out: Artists and Gentrification

Normadic Julien via unsplash.com

If you were to ask any long-time Bay Area residents about the history of their city, they would more than likely tell you a story about community and art. From San Francisco’s vibrantly colored neighborhoods that line the hills, to the blooming murals that decorate every side of Oakland, to Berkeley’s numerous museums that feature both local and international talent, the Bay Area is a hotspot for creative expression. This is also particularly true for communities of color, who rooted themselves in the landscape generations ago. Unfortunately, however, it is these long-standing families and artists who face the brunt of rising gentrification. According to a Bay Area study from Urban Displacement Project, “the arts have also been linked to gentrification, or an abrupt rise in land values, which may make it difficult for current residents and businesses to stay.” Taking a trip across any Bay Area city would demonstrate that gentrification means more than a changing landscape; it’s an indication of a changing economy, political direction, and a shift in demographics. As the infamous saying goes, life mimics art and vice versa - these rapid developments force artists to sacrifice their originality and adhere to new standards, a pressure that threatens the very intent of art itself.

How are local communities coping? Bay Area Creative’s teaching artist, Jamar “Jammer,” explains how “the East Bay Center for Performing Arts has naturally evolved over time… however, the community has become even more disenfranchised with the removal of art programs from schools and other centers due to reduced funding.” As a lead choreographer with an extensive dancing history, he understands the importance of creative resources as an outlet for everyone. Unfortunately, however, as money is reallocated to support the influx of corporate companies being established in the Bay Area, it drains the reserves for many nonprofits. Property values rise, and more affluent individuals move to the area, directly impacting those who cultivated the city’s culture to begin with. “Art is vital because it inspires young people to be creative,” Jammer continues. “It should be more accessible, but the current administration is losing touch with the importance of the arts, as seen in the lack of funding and overall support.” Culture cannot be defined without the richness of music, dance, spoken word, paintings, etc. In the midst of reduced resources and finances, artists continue to stay - but in order to do so, they must adapt to new standards of changing clientele.

"Art is vital because it inspires young people to be creative. It should be more accessible, but the current administration is losing touch with the importance of arts..."

At some point in their journeys, professional artists will encounter the pressure to compromise artistic vision to make a living. Local muralist and Bay Area Creative teaching artist, Chris, shares his own experience: “My artistic vision goes beyond what their limitations have placed. Paid commission murals with fewer limitations would cost less and look better, but the pressure to compromise within limitations adds to making a living.” Having grown up in New York, vibrant city energy is a major source of inspiration for Chris. His creative expression was shaped by the bustle of streets, the towering of buildings, local corner stores, and cultures from all over the globe that have come to converge in one place. His art is not only a symbol of where he was raised, but also of what shaped him - it is a pillar to his identity. The visual and residential changes brought on by gentrification, however, are demanding artists adhere to a new vision - which, oftentimes, is not their own. As Chis puts it, “living to make art…Price tag is part of the art, and that’s the way things go.” 

Gentrification goes beyond property value, as it reconstructs the physical and cultural foundations of a city. The reworking of infrastructure in the Bay Area has taken communities by storm, draining the funding from enrichment programs that power art, togetherness, and expression - all of which act as both the underbelly and backbone of the Bay. Nevertheless, its people and art persist, squeezing themselves into new (and sometimes painful) positions in order to fit. Life mimics art - and vice versa. Springing to life in various forms, whether it be streaked in paint or forged by fire, art and the people who create it refuse to be snuffed out. Because that’s what art does; it keeps us human, even when circumstances treat us otherwise.

Artist Spotlight: Naliyah "Nai Thaillnai" Williams

"Anyone can do a move, but you have to make it yours." - Nai Thaillnai

Meet Naliyah Williams, also known as “Nai Thaillnai (The-ILL-Nye)”. One of Bay Area Creative’s own teaching artists, she is captivating in ways beyond the dancing she is known for; lying beneath the surface of motion, a mosiac of different art practices power her each move.

Alabama-born and raised in Oakland, California, Thaillnai has always been a dancer at heart; in her own words, “I have been dancing for as long as I can remember - before I could even walk.” Her passion for dance led her to an interest in music, where Thaillnai discovered a newfound love for singing; her voice became her new paintbrush, gliding across the canvases of Alternative, R&B, and Rhythmic Flowetry. Here, she began to understand the intersectionality of art as songs revealed themselves as poems, which ultimately influenced her multi-faceted approach to creative expression.

Thaillnai’s exposure to art growing up was abundant; her mother is an artist herself, having dabbled in the fields of fashion, photography, and cosmetology. Throughout middle school, Thaillnai participated in an afterschool dance program, Ebayc, while also exceeding in her school district’s poetry competitions; by the 8th grade, she was the 1st place finalist in the MLK Oratorical Festival.

Despite this, however, it wasn’t until her high school FADA (fashion, art, design, and animation) program did she begin to focus on art more seriously. This was also when Thaillnai joined the Oakland Tech Bullets, a dance group led by Kale Woods. Honing her craft with this crew, a major door opened when she was presented with the opportunity to perform on “Bring It!” - a reality television series on majorette dance, or a “high-energy style that mixes hip-hop, jazz, ballet, and West African dance,” as Thaillnai describes it. Representing Oakland, Thaillnai and her crew, Heat Dance Line, brought home a second-place trophy that remains in her youth dance studio as a marker of the milestone that launched her career. Despite the award, Thaillnai asserts that the true prize is her newfound bond with the dance group, whom she adopted as sisters in the process. In her own words, “My wins should not come from their syllabus”; she was doing what she loved with the people she loved - and ultimately, what is the sanctity of art if not the effect it has on the heart? 

"My wins should not come from their syllabus."

After her time with the Oakland Tech Bullets, she joined Stephon Mill’s Urban Progidy Entertainment where she trained with Corey Action. This mentorship allowed for further networking, placing her in youth teaching positions and event performances, including DAM Fest, First Friday, and Black Joy Pride. Thaillnai remains a member with Urban Prodigy today.

Though she reflects on her past dance experiences with gratitude, Thaillnai’s hunger for further artistic development remains to be satiated. Her past with movement, music, contemporary art, and spoken word performances are now guiding forces as she continues her journey as a teaching artist with Bay Area Creative. When she’s not mentoring young creatives on the techniques of painting/muraling or dance, she’s working on personal projects. She recently celebrated the release of her first EP, “369,” which blends R&B, poetry, and rap to establish a sound unique to her. “369” works through the emotional turmoil Thaillnai experienced at the time of its creation, crediting artists such as SZA, Lauryn Hill, Queen Latifah, and her mentor, Stephon Mills, as inspiration. Her EP is now available for streaming across all platforms.

According to Thaillnai, “Dance can really change the world.” She recognizes her family, especially her mother and brother for their undying support, and their refusal to allow her to quit. As a fellow dancer, her brother’s courage to perform with high energy inspire Thaillnai’s own dedication to putting herself out there, a trait she greatly admires from the artists in her life; she hopes to encourage others to do the same through her own work.

Extensive and expanding still, Thaillnai’s repertoire of artistic skills is a home-grown example of the symbiotic relationship between art and the artist, between body and movement, between rhythm and word, between pen and paper. Welcoming the flow that connects our environment to the body and mind, she channels creative energy into a new form of being. Through this, she illustrates how one changes the world only if they allow themselves to be changed by it; because “anyone can do a move, but you have to make it yours” - Nai Thaillnai.

"Dance can really change the world." - Naliyah Nai Thaillnai Williams