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.
comfortable 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.
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 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 