In a blast of ceramic shards, fragments of North African slipware and pottery made in the American South, "A Dance for Dave," honors the work of enslaved craftsman, David Drake. The notable ceramicist is remembered for carving poems of resilience in his clay pots. Through his work, Drake performs an act of quiet resistance and profound bravery.

Villalongo’s nod to Drake’s work commemorates an instance of Black perseverance. Drake’s work shares the stage with North African slipware, drawing parallels to the history of slavery dating back thousands of years across continents. During his residency, Villalongo researched the Roman Empire’s practice of slavery. These fragmented artifacts, pieces of the time-space continuum, serve as tragic reminders of history repeating itself.