Critical Social Inquiry 0170 - 20th Century Dance History

African American dance and music traditions have played critical roles in African American struggles to sustain their humanity-- to express joy and pain through their bodies and through a particular relationship to rhythm. This class will explore the forms, contents and contexts of black traditions, which played a crucial role in shaping American dance in the twentieth century. Viewing American cultural history through the lens of movement and performance, we will focus on black protest traditions in discerning how the cakewalking performances of Ada Overton and George Walker; proto-feminist blues and jazz performances of Bessie Smith; tap dancing of Bill Robinson; protest and resistive choreographies of Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, and Urban Bush Women; and the hip-hop performances of Rennie Harris can be viewed as corporeal embodiments of the centuries-long freedom struggle-- whether non-violent, confrontational or contestational-- and how these modes of performance reflect an increasing independent free black voice demanding equal inclusion in the body politic. This course will provide a strong foundation for students who want to pursue Black Studies and will acquaint students with methodologies utilized in performance and historical studies.

Culture, Humanities, and Languages Power, Community and Social Justice Multiple Cultural Perspectives Writing and Research Independent Work