This course traces histories, traditions and innovations in Black American dance through archival and embodied practice. Moving from the Trans-Atlantic Slave Trade to the 1970s, we will explore how dance – when executed by those who identify as Black and when circulated outside/beyond/without Black people themselves – speaks to the body’s relationship to the political, social, and cultural contexts of American life. Through a hybrid seminar/studio seminar format, students will be introduced to theories, debates, and critical frameworks in Black Dance. We’ll wrestle with the complexities around researching, doing, and reading Black Dance.
