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African-American dance is a form of dance that was created by Africans in the Diaspora, specifically the United States. It has developed within various spaces throughout African-American communities in the United States, rather than studios, schools, or companies. These dances are usually centered on folk and social dance practice, though ...
Jan 23, 2024 · Tap Dance, like many dances, was fueled by the lived experiences shared by African dancers and Black Americans. What we recognize as Tap today was shaped in the 1700s, as Black dancers found creative ways to merge everything from Irish Jigs to spiritual dances with traditional African steps. You can even see the socialization and lifestyles of ...
- February is recognised as Black History Month in the United States. Since the country’s bicentennial in 1976, Black History Month has been an official designation to honour and remember the significant and immeasurable impact African Americans have had on the nation.
- Master Juba (1825-1852) It’s likely many dancers have never heard of Master Juba due to the fact that his important dance contributions sadly go hand-in-hand with performances that reiterated racist stereotyping.
- Bill “Bojangles” Robinson (1878-1949) While many were probably new to Master Juba, I’m fairly certain most have heard of Bill “Bojangles” Robinson. Known as the father of tap dance, Robinson is most famous for his appearance in the widely popular movies starring child actress Shirley Temple.
- Asadata Dafora (1890-1965) Asadata Dafora was a dance pioneer in bringing authentic West African culture to audiences in the United States. A dance form that was virtually unheard-of at the time, African dance opened a door to a new study of cultural dance and performance.
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- Pamela Thomas-Graham
- Alexander Diaz. Artist Alexander Diaz began their study of dance at the Bronx Dance Academy and the Bronx Dance Theater. They went on to study at Philadelphia’s University of the Arts, and San Francisco’s Alonzo King Lines Ballet Training Program.
- Amy Hall Garner. Like many choreographers, Amy Hall Garner began her relationship to the artform as a dancer. She danced throughout her childhood in Alabama.
- Bebe Miller. Born and raised in Brooklyn, New York, Bebe Miller left the city to studiy dance at Ohio State University. After dancing with Nina Weiner’s Troupe for several years, she founded the Bebe Miller Company in 1978.
- Charlotte Nebres. Charlotte Nebres is a name to know. In 2019, Nebres was the first Black dancer to star as Marie in New York City Ballet’s annual rendition of The Nutcracker, when she was only eleven years old.
Feb 1, 2024 · Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater recognized Collins’s legacy in 1974 and invited her to stage two works on the Company: Spirituals(1949) danced to Black spirituals much like Revelations,and Canticles,a new work staged for the Company. Judith Jamison, Pearl Primus, Alvin Ailey, and guests, courtesy of Ailey Archives.
Apr 23, 2021 · Rumba is a dance genre that originated from Black Cubans in the 19th century. According to “Race, Gender, and Class Embodied in Cuban Dance” by Yvonne Payne Daniel, after the Cuban revolution in 1959, many musicians from the island moved to New York, meeting up with other Caribbean and Latino cultures. Soon enough, different music styles ...
1975: LYDIA ABARCA became the first Black female ballerina on the cover of Dance Magazine. She was Dance Theatre of Harlem’s first prima ballerina and performed works including George Balanchine’s Bugaku and Jerome Robbins’ Afternoon of a Faun. She went on to perform in Bubbling Brown Sugar and The Wiz on Broadway.
