Black power — black dance

Abstract

Gender issues within dance are the primary focus of this book; however, in my research and writing, I have also questioned my white perspective. An understanding of oppression can accommodate an awareness that not only are we all connected as human beings but also we are painfully divided. It is important to know what the divisions are and to name them. Ignoring differences merely results in deeper oppression. The discussion of black dancers’ and choreographers’ work in the context of some of the debates concerned firstly, with feminism and secondly, with black dance raises the issue of racism in relation to dance practice. In this chapter I bring together black artists’ work so that the social and political context within which they develop their work becomes clearer. When the work of black dancers/choreographers is discussed in the context of white artists its importance is often diluted and the destructive effects of racism minimised. Similarly, books which predominantly discuss men tokenise and depoliticise women’s work when only one or two women are included. Black women, of course suffer a double oppression.