The Familiar and the Foreign

Abstract

It is in this chapter that the researcher discusses at length what she found familiar about dance in HBCUs, coming from only predominantly white institutions (PWIs) before the time of the study, and those histories, techniques, and practices which she discovered, much like uncovering hidden treasures—those things which were foreign to her, but highly valued in this new HBCU environment. Some of these treasures fall into a few categories, including references to places of the African diaspora, and historical traces of traditional African practices, such as the relevance of processionals in events, and the use of call and response in building a sense of community. The chapter also shows how practices and events HBCUs share with PWIs can be familiar, but also provide HBCU students with a sense of self, both in the context of the African diaspora and in that of all American higher education.