ALT | Forever: André Leon Talley’s Life Interpreted Through Dance at SCADFASH with Daryl L. Foster and costumes by Gibron Whitney Shepperd 11.8 and 11.9 2025

by Dr. shady Radical

Field Notes — November 2025

This past weekend, I attended ALT | Forever, a ballet created by Daryl L. Foster in collaboration with costume designer Gibron Whitney Shepperd, presented by SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta. The event unfolded over two days—Saturday evening and Sunday morning—honoring the legendary André Leon Talley, whose influence in fashion, culture, and creative imagination continues to inspire generations.

Saturday Evening: Conversations and Context

On Saturday evening, the audience gathered for an intimate conversation featuring choreographer Daryl L. Foster and costume designer Gibron Whitney Shepperd, in dialogue with Alex Delotch Davis, Executive Director for SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film in Atlanta and Lacoste, France. Together, they reflected on their creative process and their personal connections to André Leon Talley.

Foster and Shepperd shared that the idea for the ballet was born during the months of the COVID-19 pandemic, when they found themselves “trapped in the house,” yet still collaborating—imagining movement, fabric, and memory in the midst of so much pain, separation and struggle. What began as a shared meditation on legacy, beauty, and fashion evolved into an embodied homage to Talley’s life—a life that was, in every sense, a performance of elegance, intellect, and audacity.

Inside the Exhibition

Like the exhibition, the ballet was conceptualized during Talley’s lifetime. A short documentary produced by Paula Wallace, President and co-founder of SCAD, revealed Talley’s mentorship of students and his profound impact on the university’s fashion program.

I learned about the André Leon Talley Award, which celebrates designers who embody his vision of excellence and daring, and about the André Leon Talley Gallery, for which he curated exhibitions. His gifted collection of capes, suits, and accessories filled the SCAD FASH Museum space with his unmistakable spirit—grand yet grounded, opulent yet utterly human.

Sunday Afternoon: A Ballet in the Sky

The Sunday matinee performance took place on the museum’s rooftop against a backdrop of blue sky and the Atlanta skyline. The six dancers—Dontae Iverson, Bibby Agbabiaka, Demetrius Tucker, Dream, Jaylen Clay, and Nicholas Thacker—appeared as living embodiments of Talley’s vision. Their brown skin against the light and clouds was divine.

They jumped, leaped, ran, stood still, gazed, reached, touched, and cared for one another. Whether as individuals or as a collective, they moved as a people sharing one heartbeat.

Talley’s own voice threaded through the soundscape, speaking of freedom, sartorial reflection, his Paris journey in 1978, and his complicated relationship with food and health. Each phrase animated their motion; each movement became an archival document of breath and being.

Shepperd’s costumes—skin-toned tights, bare chests, and sculptural capes and ensemble—evoked Talley’s theatrical grandeur. One especially white satin two-piece, adorned with flowers, bellowed in the sunlight like a benediction. On that warm November afternoon, the dancers conjured a fleeting yet indelible memory: André Leon Talley made visible through dance.

Reflections and Questions

Even after attending both days, I left with questions that linger:

• What was the full depth of the relationship between Foster and Talley?

• How did the exhibition and ballet evolve alongside Talley’s own curatorial vision?

• How are the archives of Foster, Shepperd, and Talley preserved?

• How does SCAD support the preservation of this work?

• What does this say about Talley’s creative lineage in Atlanta—a city increasingly defined by Black artistic leadership?

In the spirit of radical archiving, ALT | Forever reminds us that archives breathe through bodies. These performances—like garments, gestures, and memories—sustain the living archive of Black excellence.

About the Artists

Daryl L. Foster is an internationally recognized choreographer, performer, and educator whose work bridges ballet, modern dance, and African diasporic traditions. As Founder and Artistic Director of LIFT MEN he has presented work globally, celebrated for choreography that explores identity, history, and cultural memory. Learn more →

Gibron Whitney Shepperd is a visionary costume and fashion designer known for merging art, history, and contemporary aesthetics. His creations for stage and screen use textiles to express transformation, spirituality, and Black cultural heritage. Learn more →

Dancers:

Dontae Iverson

Bibby Agbabiaka

Demetrius Tucker

Dream

Jaylen Clay

Nicholas Thacker

Event Details

ALT | Forever: A Ballet Inspired by the Life of André Leon Talley

Dates: November 8–9, 2025

Location: SCAD FASH Museum of Fashion + Film — Atlanta, GA

Digital Access and Future Vision: The Archive in Formation

Some materials from this performance weekend—photographs, notes, and reflections—are beginning to take shape within The Radical Archive Project’s growing digital collection.

However, much of what I hope to collect, curate, and share is still out of reach due to limited funding and resources.

My vision for T.R.A.P. is to make these ephemeral moments—performances, artist talks, and creative processes—accessible to the public. I want to collect the ephemera, programs, press materials, rehearsal notes, and oral histories that tell the story of Atlanta’s vibrant Black performance community.

The Radical Archive Project seeks to become the premiere destination for exploring and understanding the impact of Black Performance in Atlanta, Georgia.

Our goal is to:

• Review and document The Black Stage in Atlanta,

• Build collections around performers, crews, and creatives,

• Create a digital portal that allows anyone to explore this rich ecosystem,

• And honor the artistic labor that has defined this city’s cultural legacy.

But I need your help to get there.

If you believe in this work—if you’ve ever been moved by a performance, or felt history vibrating through a stage light—please consider volunteering, donating, or partnering with us to make this vision a reality.

👉 Support The Radical Archive Project

Together, we can ensure that Atlanta’s Black performance histories are not just remembered—but preserved, studied, and celebrated.