Photo Donald McKayle observing Gesel Mason in rehearsal

Donald McKayle observes Gesel Mason in rehearsal Saturday's Child for the April 2018 performance of No Boundaries. In revisiting Saturday’s Child for the final performance, Gesel Mason arranged a rehearsal with Mr. McKayle at UC Irvine in February. In between storytelling and conversation, McKayle coached Mason with a discerning eye, encouragement, and ever present humor. Members of UCI’s Etude Ensemble were also in attendance. They had never seen Saturday’s Child. It was also an opportunity for them to observe Mr. McKayle coach a professional. That moment encapsulated what No Boundaries is about, creating a bridge between past and present, being in conversation with history, preserving legacy, and extending lineage.