The article by Brenda Dixon-Gottschild shares the presence of Africanisms in American Concert Dance in Philadelphia, specifically.
This paragraph gives us a sense of Dixon-Gottschild’s project to place the Africanist elements at the forefront of analysis.
“This unique event, which I’ve come to call the Diaspora Dance Boom, is a
contribution to setting the record straight by acknowledging what has been denied or just
plain overlooked—namely, the fact that there are Africanist (meaning African and African
American) resonances and presences alive and well in obvious and not-so-obvious areas of
our dance practice.”
Read the article and focus on pages 3-5. This is where Brenda Dixon-Gottschild refers to the Africanist elements “get-down” posture, poly-centrism/poly-rhythm and “aesthetic of the cool”.
Choose The Diaspora Dance Boom” under Essays
Essays
Now re-watch the video of Agon below.
Take a close look at the movement and identify a moment where you see an Africanist aesthetic principle show up.
Respond to the following.
Put the time stamp in your response.
Describe the movement you have identified in the duet and which aesthetic principle this displays.
