Paloma McGregor's Dancing While Black

I was most honored when dance artist Paloma McGregor invited me to participate as a storyteller in her recent event, Dancing While Black, hosted by New York University's Hemispheric Institute of Performance and Politics, where McGregor is Artist in Residence. Among artists such as Nia Love and John Perpener and the amazing dance scholar Brenda Dixon Gottschild, invited guests and community told stories about the experience of being Black in the dance field--the good, the bad and, yes, the ugly--and banded together to share movement explorations of our journeys and understandings. The energy in the room was fantastic--warm, respectful, supportive and motivating.

To read a brief report on that special evening by Norma Porter Anthony, publisher and editor of Black Dance Magazine, click here.

And we're certainly not finished! Connect with McGregor's ongoing Dancing While Black project here.

Black dance scholars are invited to connect with Dr. Dixon Gottschild's Coalition for Diasporan Scholars Moving here.

Get to know "Black Dance Magazine"

What's new on the horizon? How about a print and online magazine dedicated to the work of dancers of color?

Get to know the up-and-coming Black Dance Magazine, published in partnership with the International Association of Blacks in Dance.

Norma Porter Anthony of Black Dance Magazine

Publisher/Editor Norma Porter Anthony writes:

In 2003, I began pursuing a degree in Journalism. I left the dance world, and began writing on everything from local and national education issues to business to community news.

Almost 15 years later, media coverage of the dance industry still fails to address the fact that there are viable, professional dancers of color, companies and teachers doing amazing things in the field.

I realize now that if there was a publication dedicated to “chasing the rhythms of dancers of every hue,” I probably would not have made the decision to abandon dance and pursue a “more stable” career. If I knew that there were opportunities for dancers of color, with different body types, maybe I would have made a different choice.

To subscribe or read articles online (current cover story: Hope Boykin of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater), click here.