The Cocoon creates and facilitates safe spaces for individuals to explore their artistry. At the core of The Cocoon’s mission is the firm belief that everyone is an artist, and that the only limitations placed on us are the ones we create in our minds. The Cocoon seeks to break down these limitations, and make art accessible to all.

Jalisa Roberts is a writer, educator, Black Studies scholar, singer, and choreographer. With more than 20 years of dance experience locally and internationally, she has most recently trained in modern and African forms of dance at Swarthmore College, and explores how all of these different artistic interests live in one body and influence each other.

Her choreography sparks conversations on identity and memory. Much of Jalisa’s work explores how individuals relate to and influence groups, and how our narratives on similar events can differ greatly based on our individual experiences.