Little Movements

Morrow’s tender debut traces a Black woman’s rocky path to becoming an artist. Narrator Layla Smart was raised by a mother who didn’t encourage her dreams. Now 33, Layla takes a leap of faith shortly after a miscarriage puts a strain on her marriage to Eli, an aspiring filmmaker who has become complacent as an IT specialist. She leaves Brooklyn and her publicity job for a nine-month residency at Briar House, a Vermont dance studio, where she’ll choreograph a performance. The mostly white town is awash in Black Lives Matter signs, and she’s aware that the studio is attempting to improve its poor record on diversity. Though she’s uncomfortable with being tokenized, she devotes herself to the piece, hoping to honor the accomplished group of dancers, all of whom are Black. Her distance from Eli puts a further strain on their marriage, especially after she calls him to announce she’s unexpectedly pregnant with their child. More complications ensue after troubling revelations about Briar House’s history and its reasons for suddenly becoming more inclusive. Morrow leavens the heavy themes of grief, insecurity, and racism with Layla’s sharp, self-deprecating humor (“What if they meant to invite Leela Smark or something,” she asks Eli, not believing Briar House meant to accept her). It’s a poignant tale of self-fulfillment. Agent: Jenni Ferrari-Adler, Verve. (Sept.)