If Blues isn’t inherently part of your culture, then dancing it asks you for some awareness and work. We honor that this is a Black American cultural art form, and that engaging in it with appreciation (and not appropriation) is essential to participating respectfully.
Our monthly house dance plays Blues music exclusively for the first half. We ask that you respect this cultural art form and dance to this music within the Blues aesthetic. After the break we expand beyond the Blues genre, and include many Blues-adjacent styles of music, where you are invited to blend other dance styles that you know into your Blues movement.
We keep this distinction between Blues and fusion intentionally very clear, so that dancers can learn and understand what music and what movement *is and is not* in the Blues family. This understanding is essential to participating in Blues with appreciation and respect.
For help in your own journey of learning, first of all, COME TO CLASS (even if you’ve been around a while)! Blues dance may appear deceptively simple on the surface, but it is deep and complex – growing your understanding is not only essential to avoid appropriative engagement, but you’ll also gain vastly greater meaning and enjoyment in your movement as well.
For some excellent online learning, follow the links below for resources from a variety of Black dancers and scholars:
Appreciation vs. Appropriation – Damon Stone
Obsidian Tea Blog – Grey Armstrong
More resources coming soon!……