Black dance and dancers and the White public: A Prolegomenon to problems of definition

The article by Brenda Dixon, discusses the point that Black dance has remained undefined though the problem of Black dancers being defined and restricted by the white population has persisted. According to many white people, anything done by a black dancer or choreographer is black dance. This has led to unwanted stereotyping of many black artists who are looked at separately, and as the article farther points out, separate in America means unequal.

Unfortunately, it seems that the categorizing of dances as black seems to be something deep rooted in the American society. In this society, performances by white artists are considered the norm and are never referred to as white-dance. Instead, they are given proper names like Ballet. On the other hand, dances with African traits are referred to as black-dance. Other white critics have gone further and they consider any dance (though choreographed by whites but performed by black dancers) as something ‘different’ or exotic.

An example of how subdivision of dance by race is deeply rooted in American culture is the explanation given by Arlene Croce, who said that subdivision is one way of holding on to the exclusivity of an art form, but amateurish distinctions can interest no one for long. Surprisingly, she went on to distinguish the Dance Theater of Harlem from other dance houses, saying it occupied a category of its own.

Much as categorizing dance styles may lead to unequal treatment, we are reminded that definition and categorizing is important for identity and legal rights based on the persistence of racial oppression whereby blacks have been shortchanged in general for their contributions to mainstream American culture.

Anthony

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