This weekend I have been at the Collegium
for African Diaspora Dance (CADD) Conference https://www.cadd-online.org . This is
the third Conference they are held every two years. This year is called Dance
Black Joy: Global Affirmations and Defiance. Last year I presented a dance
here. This year I have presented on research I am currently doing Movements,
Narratives and Meanings and also on the book I wrote/edited that is just been
published last week on-line and will be available in two week as a paperback.
The conference is always a reaffirming
inspiring event. There are so many amazing people sharing amazing ideas here.
It is held at Duke University in North Carolina.
The events I have attended have all been
saying the same thing to me.
The importance of community, family, arts activism
– what are you saying with that movement, with that way of teaching, being? and
respect for those who teach us, those who have trailblazed the way we are
taking – cleared space for us to be on the journey we are on.
Yesterday I started the day with a ballet
class with Dr. Joselli Deans she was at Dance Theatre of Harlem when I was
there. In class were also Theara Ward (former soloist at DTH) and Dr. Kimberley Jorden.
It was so nice to all be in class together again. As the conference is about
Joy it was a joyful moment for me.
At the start of the conference we Celebrated
the legacy of Dr. Charles “Baba Chuck” Davis
Baba Chuck had opened the first two Conferences
and so we honoured his work and life to open this one. Have a look at the link.
His work involved community dance. He is a part of our dance history. There was
a panel of people discussing his legacy. They were asked to summarise something to
teach in his name. They said
As a teacher see the potential of the
student/dancer /xxx in front of you even when they don’t see their own potential.
Dance is healing – he said the study of medicine
is about the cure, dance is the prevention.
Become the rhythm be courageous and
unafraid.
Today Dr. Brenda Dixon-Gottschild is giving
a key note
I will share about other events I went to
in another post.
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