Thinking about how dance impacts on social structures and how social structure impact on dance...
https://www.ted.com/talks/trevor_copp_and_jeff_fox_ballroom_dance_that_breaks_gender_roles
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https://www.ted.com/talks/trevor_copp_and_jeff_fox_ballroom_dance_that_breaks_gender_roles
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Hi Adesola
ReplyDeleteFantastic TED TALK. It is so sad to feel that this is still so prevalent in the world of dance, i certainly still experience this in the ballet world.There is of course always an exception, but shouldn't it be the norm, intead of the exception.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI loved this Ted Talk, especially when Liquid Lead Dancing is being characterized as a'conversation' where the leader and the follower always change places. I think that while dancing giving up the specific roles you are supposed to have ,has amazing results.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteI've been dancing Salsa and partner dances for over 20 years, so interesting to watch this Ted talk. "Switching" back and forth has been practiced for the same amount of time if not more as well as in "authentic" social spaces in hispanic and black communities and is still practised today. So I feel this is awareness has more to do with how latin dance is experienced commercially.
I was happy with the observation that latin dance is rarely represented by actual hispanic or black people since this is still a reality now.
The following expressions in the video:
"it's a relic"
"The physics of moving doesn't give a crap if you're a woman or a man..."
"He dictates, she reacts"
I find them overtly simplistic. Some of the best Salsa dancers exhibit this "conversation" quality (which I also teach and call "Active Conversation") and it's not relegated purely to "switching" or "Liquid Lead dancing".
The heteronormative nature of partner dances also serves to facilitate a space of conversation, ritual and negotiation between male and female. A much needed space still in today's society. I don't believe that new awareness justifies the extinction of previous frameworks but add to knowledge in a holistic manner instead.
Hi, an interesting watch. I found the 'change' of choreography interesting - switching the typical roles - at the end of the opening choreography. During the talk they mentioned that this was somewhat "political" and I found it interesting listening to their understanding that the male/female lead/follow roles are latin dance history, rather than latin dance in the present. They also referenced latin culture whereby "professional latin dancers" aren't so much latin in the present day.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed the view of dance being about a conversation "lidquid lead dancing" rather than gender-specific roles. Surely that's what dance is about in the present?