The last three weeks have been a roller coaster of changes as we now all sit in our homes, quarantined from each other, hopefully slowing the spread of Covid-19. Our world is changing rapidly, our economy is crashing, many people are out of work, and fear is hanging heavy in the air. But there is also a plethora of art being shared on social media, streaming concerts open to all, online classes for people to take regardless of geographical location, sweet gestures of help within local communities and more. Uncertainty brings a stew of messy emotions. Now is the time to move your body however feels good for you. Be in your breath. Be in your emotions. Dance them out. Have some frivolous fun. It will feel good. And that is something we need to survive too.
Diversity and the need for representation
Hello and welcome to news, thoughts, and ramblings by me. This may seem like a heavy topic to start this blog but here is it. It has been brought to public attention that blackface is being used as a “costume element” by a variety of dancers including the most heated recent example Anna Borisova. As if that was not offensive enough the language and comments included with these photos and videos on social media platforms are degrading, insensitive, and prime examples of racism. So, as our community internalizes this on the heels of much needed but still processing conversations of cultural appropriation~ what can we do? Well, first I’d like to say we have an incredibly diverse dance community all across the globe. AND marketing and systemic racism have made it more difficult for people of color to gain access to higher professional opportunities and thus exposure. So you may not know some of the amazing POC artists in our community. So here are just a few of the artists that I find inspiring for their unique artistic style and beautifully crafted work~ ENJOY! CUZ REPRESENTATION MATTERS!!!