For the past few weeks myself and two colleagues have been in the process of making a work about our experience of being black women. We have been interested in experimenting through movement our black female identity. During this past semester we took a course called Black Dance Continuum, which considers the black continuum in American dance as it has developed in the United States from the antebellum era to the present. During the course, we noticed the absence of black female choreographers and their stories in the history of black dance. So this summer we have come together to add our experiences to the continuum of black dance. A poem by Danielle Horton, Letter To My Future Daughter, have been words that have guided this process. The link to the poem is below.
By the end of the summer we hope to complete this process with a video presentation. Here is a first little draft of the process within the studio.
Next Professor Perkins presented two excerpts of choreographic work she created for Dayton Contemporary Dance Company. Along with video presentations of the work, she had two company members demonstrate some of the movement to give us background information on specific gestures, hand positions, and musical choices. I’ve been working with Professor Perkins this semester for the 50th Anniversary Dance Concert at The Ohio State University, so we’ve conversed about some of the African diaspora influences in her work. However, being able to see the physical representations of it through the company members and the films shown I was able to clearly see those references and how they all work together.
The underlying themes of identity and community were prevalent throughout each episode. The barbershop in the Black community is a place of comfort and sanctuary to speak whatever the heart desires. This show created a safe space and I connected with that idea. As an artist I want to facilitate spaces of vulnerability that are welcoming to a plethora of ideas and issues that can be discussed. This show was a pleasure to watch and I can’t wait for the upcoming episodes.
The performance of Untamed Space by Renegade Performance Group was a melting pot of technology, music, movement, and wonder. The melodies and rhythms flowed from the music and was transported into the projections displayed on the scrim and into the bodies of the dancers. Along with responding physically to the music, the dancers created their own sounds becoming instruments themselves. Fusing the technological effects with specific songs related to spirituality and the Black culture, brought the audience into the world of Afrofuturism. The choreography of the show was based upon a series of movements that were used throughout. Pairing specific phrases with music that was complimentary enhanced the reception of the movement, while phrases that were linked to contradictory music allowed for mental contemplation and an acceptance over time. With the bulk of the movement being floor-work and using the technique of physical propulsion, the dancers filled the space and music with electric energy that resonated well after the show is over.
Davianna's Space 