This Black History Month, CSAC wants to share with students (and others that may interact with our page) how African American culture has shaped dance over the years and talk about struggles black people have had to face in this field. While we are lucky that our education at UCI has made us aware of appropriation that has occurred, it is important that we acknowledge how little some of us are truly affected by such established bias and how it continues to reoccur. As a majority white community, we want to explore how we can encourage others to learn about black dance history because it is US history and we hold these connections in our bodily expression. African diasporic movement forms are at the bedrock of our contemporary practices and as we learn specific African American dance forms and more, they help us to understand our bodies' connective kinetics in every dance genre we pursue.
There are many Black dancers, including those that continue to go unrecognized, that have greatly impacted the way dance and movement is perceived in our daily lives. In the United States, a lot of dance innovations owe their creation to African American, Afro-Latinx, and Afro-Caribbean peoples. For example, Lindy Hop, Charleston, Samba, Merengue, and lots of other popular social dances all find their roots in the African diaspora. Many have adopted these dances into daily life, which calls for both an awareness of the great quantity of Africanist contributions, and a respect to their culture for being able to innovate and overcome the social oppression they faced.
Here are just a small number of individuals who were able to be successful despite their hardships! They have shown the vibrancy, color, uniqueness, and multidimensionality that exists within African movement culture.
Master Juba (William Henry Lane) — 1825-1852
Lane grew up in New York to a community that had high concentrations of African Americans and Irish immigrants. He was known for his performances in minstrel shows, an American entertainment in the 19th century that consisted of comic skits and often utilized dancing in blackface. Many know him now as "the father of tap dance" for his combination of Irish Jig movements and African dance to create syncopated rhythms and sounds. His stage name, Master Juba, comes from an African word that signified a rhythmic dance. Throughout his performing years, he became extremely popular for the variety he incorporated into shows which included vocals, dance, acting, and improvisation.
Bill Robinson — 1878-1949
Bill Robinson, also known as Bill Bojangles, was an American tap dancer, actor, and singer. He was the most well known and most well paid African American performer in the 20th century. His career started in the age of minstrel shows in his teen years and then he moved to vaudeville and even later film. His contribution to tap was “exact and specific” and his signature piece was the stair dance. He also gained a lot of fame for dancing with Shirley Temple. Audiences from all backgrounds were drawn to his stage presence and he had such an impact on people that an estimated 32,000 people were in attendance at his funeral.
Josephine Baker — 1906-1975
A revolutionary performer, World War II spy, activist, and overall entertainer were a few simple words to describe Josephine Baker. Baker began her performing career at the ripe age of 15, and quickly became a very successful Vaudeville dancer. She soon after took her talents to Paris, where her career took flight. She became one of the most sought after dancers and performers, and changed the entertainment industry for the better. Surrounding her times of fame, she was also a strong activist. During her performances in America, she would always boycott segregation clubs and venues that wouldn’t allow Black people to come and watch her perform. Baker held a large role in the 1963 March on Washington, where next to Martin Luther King Jr., she shared a speech of her own. Josephine Baker was an iconic dancer and overall performer, but unlike a lot of people, she used her fame for the greater good. Inspiring artists like Balanchine and even Beyonce, Baker shifted the trajectory of the future entertainment industry. A decorated career and person, Josephine Baker was one of the first pioneers to begin turning the industry towards a more inclusive community.
Pearl Primus — 1919-1994
Pearl Primus was an American dancer, choreographer, teacher, and anthropologist who fought for the legitimacy and documentation of African dance in America and abroad. Graduating with a degree in biology from Hunter College in NY 1940, Primus was unable to find work in medical labs due to racial barriers. Although she had no prior interest or experience in dance, Primus was given work in the costume department of a dance unit. Showing immediate skill, she gained further responsibilities as an understudy and demonstrator for the unit. Primus received a scholarship from New York Cities New Dance Group in 1941, and she continued her study of dance learning techniques of Ghram, Humphrey, and more. Pearl Primus viewed dance as a form of communication, not just entertainment. She studied in African American churches and cotton fields to learn about the varied experiences of people of African descent; a common theme she explored as she created her own repertory. In the latter 1940s, Prime choreographed and performed works with her own company including Showboat, Caribbean Cruise on Broadway. A performance at Fisk University resulted in Primus receiving a grant that she used to study dance in Africa for nine months. During her time in there she learned traditional rhythms and dance styles, and their purposes in ceremonial traditions. Primus took this information and founded the Pearl Primus School of Primal Dance where she created several works influenced and informed by what she had learned. Ten years later she became the director of the newly created African Performing Arts Center, Konama Kende in Liberia. An institution dedicated to antholigizing and preserving traditional African dance, as well as teaching African dancers to create their own works. In addition to teaching and directing APAC, Primus developed the Pearl Primus Dance Language Institute, where she argued that dance was its own language, even using it to provide the physically impaired with new communication skills. She has choreographed works performed by companies such as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, lectured on African dance at universities across the country, and preserved the history of the African dance tradition in a time where it could have disappeared forever.
Alvin Ailey — 1931-1989
Alvin Ailey was an American dancer, director, choreographer, and activist who founded the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT). He created AAADT and its affiliated Alvin Ailey American Dance Center (later the Ailey School) as havens for nurturing Black artists and expressing the universality of the African-American experience through dance. Ailey made an immeasurable impact around the world of dance. By weaving African American themes into his dances, he ushered in a new era of concert dance. He organized the first black repertory dance company in 1958, which toured extensively and came to the forefront during the civil rights movement. His most famous work, "Revelations", first performed in 1960, is considered an anthem to the faith and strength of black people. In 2014, his memory was honored when he received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, a symbol of his dedication to activism and portraying the African American experience.
Timothy Solomon AKA Popin’ Pete — 1961- present
Popin’ Pete is known for his massive contribution to the pioneering, spreading, and development of the “popping hip hop style”. He founded the dance group, The Electric Boogaloos, who took their style of hip hop and revolutionized with funk culture. The crew has appeared on many televised shows, including the famous social dance promoter, Soul Train. They have appeared in Micheal Jackson videos, including "Beat It" and "Thriller". Today, Popin' Pete continues to dance and share his style with those that want to learn. He still choreographs for major artists tours, such a Justin Timberlake, and still takes to the stage. In an interview with Redbull, he said this of his dance training:
“Hip-hop grew up on the streets, but we didn't learn from street dancers. For us, it wasn't part of street culture. I would like people to know the real pioneers of hip-hop, though: Africa Bambaataa, Kool Herk and many others. If someone connects me to hip-hop, but not them, then this person simply doesn't understand hip-hop.”
Emilio Austin Jr. AKA Buddha Stretch — 1968 - present
Buddha Stretch (Emilio Austin) is a hip-hop dancer known for being the first person to teach hip-hop in a studio setting and bridging the gap between "Ol' Skool and New Skool". Many people credit him for developing the atmosphere that many contribute to "commercial hip-hop" today. His movement draws from many different hip-hop genres and is known for it's range and ability to connect with a wide audience. He has had an extensive career choreographing for many popular artists, and continues to teach at New York's Broadway Dance Center, bringing his expertise and energy into each work.
Challenges to Acknowledge
It is important to mention that although there has been progress and a greater appreciation for black dance history, black dancers still face a lack of opportunity surrounding this art. For example, statistics show that black dancers are much less likely to attend higher academic institutions. There are various reasons why some may not want to pursue degrees in these white dominated spaces, but it has been found that many anticipate potential microaggressions or fear they might not fit in. Here are only a few points where black dancers might find antagonism:
Stereotype of a “ballet body”
Requiring women of color to wear pink tights
Asking black women to wear certain hairstyles or “tame” their hair
Pointe shoes being pink/nude until 2018
Assuming all Black dancers can easily fit a mold that is more “urban or street”
Assuming Black or Brown dancers are there for hip hop, not assuming they can fit other roles
Being used as a token dancer, solely for one's blackness
Being cast a certain role because it allows the diversity quota to be hit and the face of a company to be seen as inclusive
Other reasons why Black dancers or people of color are less proportionally found in higher academia may be due to generational economic disparities that can be traced back to slavery, redlining (What is redlining?) and Jim Crow eras. The lack of equal opportunity that accompanies low income areas rend such as food deserts, lower quality of education, and single-parent homes, permeate throughout black lives and we encourage further investigation into these disparities through some of our sources found below.
It's important we acknowledge our own department's challenges and attempt to create a more welcoming environment for dancers of color. This can be done by continuing to learn about and celebrate the influences of African diasporic movement and black dance history. We want to thank our professors Dr. Ama Wray, Cyrian Reed, and Ariyan Johnson, for openly educating our department and giving us the opportunity to find a greater appreciation for what has been commonly overlooked in other spaces. We also extend a further thank you to Dr. Wray for being a resource and helping us edit this post.
BLACK OWNED ARTS ORGANIZATIONS TO CHECK OUT
This fairly new organization volunteers to give back to the local community by uniting and empowering young Black professionals in OC. Started in 2016, they are a growing organization that now has over 190 individuals.
Organizes parades, festivals, local entertainment, young visual artist contests, scholarship opportunities, and other community events that connect people of all ages!
Founded by Debora Wondercheck their mission is to "provide equitable access to high-quality performing arts to all children throughout Southern California." More specifically, they aim to expose children from every socioeconomic background, and experience levels to the arts; helping each fulfill their creative potential for success building confidence and creativity for life.
"The mission of Brown Girls Do Ballet® is to help increase participation of underrepresented populations in ballet programs through organizing and arranging ballet performances, photo exhibitions, and providing resources and scholarships to assist young girls in their ballet development and training." They want to redefine the Euro-centric form so that it is more inclusive and diverse for the artists of the future.
RESOURCES TO READ MORE INFORMATION:
Great Article written by Steezy about Black Culture in dance history
History of Hip-Hop as written by a black artist in the field
The Black Dancing Body” Book written by Brenda Dixon Gottschild
Find Brenda’s Facebook here, where she shares dance related events to celebrate Black History Month, including “Whose Ballet? Diasporan Waves and Black Genealogies for Dance”
Sources Used For Our Post
Comments