“We know what ancient cultures did because of what artists left us.”
~ Kimberly Camp (Dollmaking)
This season, we’ve dedicated three full episodes of State of the Arts to the 2026 New Jersey Heritage Fellows: ten masters of traditional art forms, including dancers, musicians, and a dollmaker. The third and final episode premieres this week, featuring tap dancer Omar Edwards, guzheng player Yang Yi, Bharatanatyam artist Ramya Ramnarayan, and dollmaker Kimberly Camp.
“Tap dances that pay attention to the musical aspect and the storytelling aspect will live on forever.”
~ Omar Edwards (Tap Dance/Griot)
Each of the ten stories was beautifully filmed, directed, and edited by Nate Reininga. Originally from New Mexico, Nate is a visual storyteller with a strong interest in the art of the handmade, the world of dance, and learning what he can from the people he meets. Below are his responses to a few questions I asked about his experiences with this year’s NJ Heritage Fellows.
Susan: You produced all ten profiles, about a range of different master artists. What did you find interesting, or inspiring about them, and their connections with their traditions?
Nate: I was incredibly inspired by all of these artists. One thing that stood out to me is that many of these artists didn’t grow up immersed in the traditions they’ve dedicated much of their lives to. They chose them. They were called to them. Many were first exposed to these art forms in late adolescence or early adulthood, and simply continued to follow the thread. I’m fascinated by what animates us as humans—what gives our lives purpose and meaning—our ‘raison d’être’ if you will. Pardon my French.
“Art is actually connecting to the spiritual world.”
~ Yang Yi (Guzheng)
Susan: What do you hope people will take away from these stories?
Nate: The absolute vitality of cultural artforms and human expression. Working with our hands, using our mind, body, and spirit to express where words fall short. My hope is always that someone will catch that spark of curiosity, and get excited to learn a bit more about the world around them.
Susan: Education and advocacy for their art forms is a through line for all of the artists. You saw these Heritage Fellows in action, and heard first hand from them—why is teaching so important for them?
“In my understanding, the word tradition means change.”
~ Ramya Ramnayaran (Bharatanatyam)
Nate: The arts, and folk art traditions in particular, are a wonderful conduit for culture and community connection. Art is for sharing. Each of these Fellows has achieved artistic excellence, but more importantly, they have kept these traditions alive by passing them on. I was also fascinated by each artist’s approach to strictly preserving tradition versus allowing their artform to evolve and change over time.
Susan: How did you first approach these artists?
Nate: My approach always centers on a natural curiosity to learn. I research each artist and try to understand as much as possible beforehand. Then, my goal is always to forget everything I think I know and be present while filming and interacting on set. I want the artists to author their own stories, for their natural voice to shape the narrative—so in some ways my guiding principle is just to ‘get out of the way.’
Susan: Was there a memorable moment during production that you can describe?
Nate: So many. I got an Andean panflute lesson from Pepe Santana, practiced my buffalo step with Deborah Mitchell‘s students, and fed some alpacas with Tyrese Gould Jacinto. The list goes on. I’ve been very inspired and grateful to connect and collaborate with this year’s NJ Heritage Fellows artists. Thank you for the opportunity!
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The third and final show featuring the NJ Heritage Fellows premieres this week, with stories featuring tap dancer Omar Edwards, guzheng player Yang Yi, Bharatanatyam artist Ramya Ramnarayan, and dollmaker Kimberly Camp. The previous two episodes can be streamed on PBS.org, and individual stories can be watched on our website.
Let us know what you think!
