Tag: african-american

Summer Creative

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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.

Letter to My Future Daughter…

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.

 

‘No matter how far a person can go, the horizon is still way beyond you’ – Zora Neale Hurston

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The end of my first year of graduate school has come to an end and I’m reflecting on the experiences these last ten months have brought me. I began this journey unsure of myself, my abilities, and my place in graduate school. Transitioning from an undergraduate program to a graduate program was a hard shift, but doubts surrounding my age and professional experiences took a tool on me mentally. Luckily, I was blessed with a cohort that was supportive, and we helped each other through this transition into graduate school. Over this first year I’ve accomplished so much and gained confidence in my artistic practice, and gained lifelong friends.

One major hurdle I’ve overcome this year is my fear of public speaking. Unlike undergraduate classes, most classes are discussion based and require verbal interactions. For me, this format was equivalent to me hanging from a cliff by my finger tips. I felt so exposed and vulnerable every class. I was also nervous when it came to discussing theorist such as Foucault, Butler, and Lepecki (still don’t entirely understand it really). But as the semesters progressed and I became more IMG_0181comfortable with the class structure, it was easier to engage in conversation. Along with learning to extract the information that is important and relevant to my interests rather than trying to understand Phenomenology in one week. Along with participating in class discussion, we were required to present creative projects which I enjoyed, but also I had to lead the lecture which I absolutely didn’t enjoy before I experienced it. When preparing to lead the lecture I realized I had knowledge and a unique perspective that I could bring to the material. This assurance in myself allowed me to lead both lectures with confidence (and even get a job well done from my professor!). Having these moments to lead and put my ideas in the forefront assisted me when I was a panelist at the International Association of Blacks in dance conference. When myself and fellow colleagues spoke about our insight into graduate school as black women, I wasn’t nervous at all. Reflecting back, I’m appreciative of the times I’ve been pushed out of my comfort zone over the course of this first year. Without that guidance, I wouldn’t have been able to develop my voice in or beyond the classroom.

Over the course of this year I’ve had the opportunity to perform, make, and collaborate with some awesome humans. I began the year in a work made by Crystal Michelle Perkins, Lush Departures, which challenged me physically and mentally the entire process. Working with her reinforced my interest in community building within the making process, as well as my love for rigorous big dancing. My participation in this work led me to be rehearsal director for the excerpt of the work performed at the International Association of Blacks in dance as well as working closely with Crystal (SHE IS GOALS). I was also able to perform a collaborative study from a composition class in the Winter Concert. As well as collaborating with two 2nd year MFA students beginning the process of their thesis projects. My year has been jammed packed, but I’ve enjoyed every opportunity to work creatively with professors and fellow graduate students(also helps me think about what my project may be, yikes!)

With the knowledge I’ve gained in the many facets of this graduate school journey I’ve begun to think more deeply about my research interests. I began my first year heavily focused on the Harlem Renaissance, but now I’m thinking more about the black women/artist place in society and dance. I recently wrote a paper, Reclaiming, Restoring, Reimagining: Cardi B, which was centered around the hyper sexualization of black female bodies in popular culture. I argued that Cardi B uses her body in performance, specifically her music video Money, as a site of personal agency, reclamation of sexuality, and the evolution of black female bodies in popular culture. While writing this paper I realized my passion for the black women, her story, and the ways in which she portrays herself creatively.

As I continue these next two years of graduate school I’m excited to continue to transform as a human and artists. This first year alone has shown me that there are no limits to my success, and I dictate my future. With the next year of grad school new challenges will appear such as project proposals, funding, and just general stress of life. However, being able to see the progress I’v already made, and having the support of faculty, my cohort family, friends, and my partner, the possibilities are limitless.

The Big 5-OH

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Over the course of two weekends and eight shows, I was a part of the 50th Anniversary concert for the department of dance at The Ohio State University. It was such a pleasure to be immersed in the rich history and culture of this department I’m now included in. The concert was divided into fours works depicting the elements of space, flow, time, and weight. The work I performed in not only pushed me physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. The movement was vigorous and required attention to rhythms and the connection between the ensemble. But simultaneously, she was challenging our mental capacity of linking ourselves individually and as a collective to the lineage of the department. Even though this is only my first semester at OSU, I feel a strong attachment to those who came before me. Taking time during rehearsal to look at archival materials and see the work we are making now is built upon the principles and values of those that came before us was satisfying and enjoyable.

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The Black Experience: Black Performance Theory

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Black Performance Theory

Thomas F. DeFrantz and Anita Gonzalez collaborate on a collection of writings that capture the essence of black performance. Spanning the fields of music, dance, and theatrical performances, this book focuses on the understanding of performance using historical references and the connection of one’s identity to their lineage and environment.

Black performance theory is a culmination of writings that articulate the necessity of black performance decoding. Speaking to the individuality of blackness in an evolving world, the essays navigate the complexities of the black identity while unraveling the web of politics, history, and power that comprise black performance. They analyze the work of Zora Neale Hurston and her theories of black performance methodology linking the individuality of contemporary choreographers to their spiritual Africanist practices. Whether depicting the black movement as spaceships, the use of activism art, or the invigorating music of Little Richard, this gathering of artists and scholars creates a place to meld analytical and personal experiences of black performance.

Chapter five of Black Performance Theory, uncovers the world of theatrical lynching’s and the retaliation of African-American authors and playwrights to maintain an upstanding image of their race. Despite the horrendous tragedies that were showcased, “creative work produced during adversity is not solely a response to outside sources; it is an attempt to safeguard community perspectives” (DeFrantz 2014, 88).  Using life experiences as art, writers performed, rejecting negative portrayals viewed during theatrical lynching’s, and uncovered the proof of black humaneness and success. Using the stage as a platform for enlightenment, not just entertainment, allowed for strategic intervention of black artist’s and the examination of cultural realism.

Theorizing black performance is a complicated task, yet is necessary to understand the black experience thoroughly. Black Performance Theory summons fascinating thoughts about the conception of the identity and its desire for belonging or finding oneself. It also shows how black performance is directly linked to personal sensations and the sense of community involvement that dictates creative choices.

 

 

 

 

References

DeFrantz, Thomas, and Anita Gonzalez. 2014 “Black-Authored Lynching Drama’s Challenge to Theater History.” Black Performance Theory, edited by Koritha Mitchell, 87-98. Durham: Duke University Press.

Untamed Space: Renegade Performance Group

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IMG_2775The 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.