If you're in on the local performing
arts scene, you may have heard of the stunning dance duo comprised of
sisters Kiera Brinkley and Uriah Boyd. “Soar”, a documentary
about their lives is currently in the making, but it's not just a
documentary about Kiera and Uriah as dancers; it is a look into
dance, sisterhood, and disability.
When Kiera, now 20 years old, was just
two, she had most of each arm and leg amputated to prevent the spread
of a bacterial infection. This was one month after her sister was
born. Both girls were drawn to dance when they were young, and each
have had to overcome very different challenges to get where they are
now.
As an elementary schooler, kids used to
gather around Kiera as she jumped rope. When she got to middle
school, a dance teacher noticed her moving in her chair to music and
persuaded her to dance with her peers on the floor. She learned
routines at Da Vinci Middle School during the day and would teach
them to Uriah at night.
Kiera's dance style is fluid and easy
in spite of her shortened limbs, and she has gained quite a bit of
attention for it. But Uriah moves with equal beauty.
“Soar” is about dance and
disability, true, but through these elements documentarian Susan Hess
Logeais reveals the conflict and affection that sisterhood inevitably
proffers.
Younger siblings often live in the
shadows of their older counterparts, and Uriah admits that she felt
ignored at times:
“I was younger, so everyone knew her
first, and she had such a strong presence. I was shy, awkward. I
didn't really have that much going for myself.”
But Uriah remains an important part of
of Kiera's life and dance career. Kiera is currently a member of
Polaris Dance Theatre, a Portland contemporary dance troupe, and when
she choreographs, Kiera likes Uriah to be there with her. The two
have was Kiera calls “sister telepathy”, which allows Kiera to
communicate moves that she may not be able to replicate with her
body. Uriah has also been a great motivator for Kiera. When first
considering whether or not to join Polaris, Kiera wasn't sure she
would be able to keep up. Uriah told her to suck it up. Sister love!
In the documentary, Kiera and Uriah
dance a duet that reflects the nature of their sisterhood: it's
complicated, but everything somehow fits together in a seamless
symbiosis.
Read more about Kiera, Uriah, and their
documentary, “Soar”, here.
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