"In a time when uncertainty of thought has disabled a generation of educational and artistic practitioners, Torya Beard is a breath of hope that has escaped the linear superficial norms of today. Her approaches to art-making and critical discourse are much more contextual with respect to the latitude of her métier. Ms. Beard is an enviable resource deserving of acknowledgment and held as an elite standard for all who wish to go beyond the melancholy and venture into the extraordinary." - Gregory King, Assistant Professor of Dance at Kent State University, Artistic Director, Kent Dance Ensemble