Liz Edouard-Danc 163- Black dance and dancers and the white public

Do Whites title any dance done by blacks “Black Dance” as a defense mechanism or an excuse for why they are not able to perform it in the same manner? As discussed last week and reiterated this week, American dances are fusion of different cultures and at this time can no longer be labeled based on part of its origin. Certain movements are attributed to being innate to Blacks, and while it often may be the case, anyone can learn them. Reciprocally anyone can perform “white dances” such as ballet without the addition of a black dancer making the dance “different”. No dancer is identical to a fellow dancer: it is the job of the dancer when performing as part of a unit to seamlessly blend in and neither height, nor hair colour, nor skin colour should ever be a factor.

The ending quote by Marquez, in which he remarks on the need of individuals in North America and Europe to define their culture as well as other cultures as a method of contrast, highlights our reluctance to accept cultures as melting pots instead of such distinct entities. Countries especially in Latin America have a complex history that has shaped the culture of the country and more often than not, people in these countries reject a part of their history in an attempt to create a culture that they feel would be more ideal, which often turns toward European rather than indigenous influence. This tendency is harmful to these countries as they are not able to appropriate what is rightfully theirs and slowly they lose their authentic culture, which is a hybrid of all that has come to pass within its borders. The idea of experiencing a dance as whole is important in order to fully appreciate the beauty of the dance, and ones mind must be open and willing to accept all that has come to influence the movements.