American Negro Vaudeville: The Whitman Sisters- Ricky Chen- DANC163

Dance and Identity Politics in American Negro Vaudeville: The Whitman Sisters, 1900-1935 by Nadine A. George

I enjoyed reading about the Whitman Sisters and the balance they achieved in their dance group of conserving traditional values while challenging racial and gender identities. The four sisters were not afraid of taking risks and challenging the audience by cross-dressing and painting their faces. In doing so, art becomes an instrument for social change. The subtle and indirect challenges to the viewers’ and audiences’ perceptions lead to further conversations outside of the show. By making small changes and defining their own performances, the Whitman Sisters are in control of their art and defy the white cultural dominance in the performing arts. Modifying traditional images is not original to the Whitman Sisters, because in the past African American performers have used the tool of “reinventing self” in their performances. Reversing traditional roles allows the Whitman Sisters to empower themselves and define their own culture and societal roles.

            I believe that the dance stage sets up a great location for cultural and social revolution because it has the advantage of challenging social conformity without confronting it. Dance acts use “art” as a disguise and because dance is not the reality, it can voice different ideas without being refuted. When the audience is exposed to challenges to social boundaries, they themselves begin to question or talk about what they see.  The Whitman Sisters took advantage of the dance stage and dance spectatorship to fight for social justice.

At the same time, the Whitman Sisters maintained conservative moral codes while traveling from towns to towns. Mabel Whitman became the company’s matriarch. Furthermore, while they appealed to black audiences, white audiences also found the Whitman Sisters appealing and high-art worthy. By appealing to a greater audience of both white and black, the dance group can spread their social message and achieve a greater impact.