Teaching African American Dance

Dancing and its relation to teenagers in this day and age is something I find very interesting. Teens are young adults who are still in their experimental and developmental stages. I think this is something that is apparent and exemplified in the dances they “coin” or how they act at a party when the lights are off. They have not yet solidified there disposition and yet to find and solidified their opinions and interest in specific areas. Ironically, the entertainment industry today has a record number of teen superstars from Miley Cyrus, to the boys who “created” the Jerk, to I-Carly and lastly Keke Palmer. Dancing and entertain are something that has become deeply entwined with my generation and how it is viewed. TV stars, delve into action on the big screen, which then leads to a record deal. It’s a rapid cycle where one week you are in and the next you are old. It has come where it’s almost as if stars are dispensable. Despite, the popularity I think that this has an adverse affect on the quality of performers we have coming out, however this is another topic.


Something in the article that caught my attention was the discussion about a “post-racial” generation. I have to disagree with this statement. It could simply be my personal experience or the neighborhoods I have grown up in or simply my tendency to over analyze things, but I think race is an issue just as prevalent now as it has been in the previous years. Granted certain things occur in a more under handed manner, but I think it still exist. Teenagers even more than adults in some cases see and pay attention to race more because it is our tendency to pre-judge and scope people out before we officially them Not that this is a negative thing but I think that issues of race come into play everywhere, whether it college acceptance, organization establishment or simply expected talents. Teenagers live and breathe their expectations and subconsciously/consciously project them on others. In relation to dance I think there is still the assumption that all blacks can dance we are a born with rhythm. I believe that until color and expectation are no longer accepted as visual indicators race will be an issue in this country and on the dance floor.

Mona Quarless