I Could Dance, Dance, Dance All Night…

Pierre Bennu’s (Exit the Apple) “Sun Moon Child” video highlights the connections between various black dance styles throughout history. Soda Jerk created a video, Tap Hop, which compares jazz tap dance and hip-hop breakdance. African dance has been a major influence not only throughout the African Diapora, but also throughout popular culture in general. The […]

Modern Griots: Adia Tamar Whitaker

Adia Tamar Whitaker is a San Franciscan dancer, choreographer and vocalist, and was artistic director of artistic director of the Brooklyn-based dance theatre ensemble, Ase Dance Theater Collective. For years, she has performed contemporary and Afro-Haitian dance styles, was part of the Afro-Haitian dance company Group Petit La Croix and taught workshops and master classes. In 2008, […]

Congo Square

Amel Larrieux– Congo (this song is inspired by the New Orleans’ Congo Square) I started reading Leroi Jones’ (aka Amiri Baraka) “Blues People” a few days ago for my honors thesis and he mentioned the Congo Square in one of the first chapters. His reference reminded me of this post I read on Tumblr from […]

“Down Down Baby, Down Down the Roller-coaster”

Do any of you remember that hand-clapping game when you were younger? Now, think of the Nelly song “Country Grammar.” They sound familiar, don’t they? When I heard “Country Grammar” for the first time a decade ago, I did not realize the connection. But this week I finished reading Kyra Gaunt‘s “The Games Black Girls Play: […]

A Mirror’s Reflection

I was watching the video for “Tightrope” by Janelle Monae and recognized characters from her video in a 1974 film I started watching with the Jazz composer, Sun Ra, called “Space Is the Place.” The grim reaper characters with mirrors on their faces also appear in a 1943 short film called “Meshes of the Afternoon,” […]

Backslide to the Moonwalk

I remember growing up how I gazed in amazement when I saw Michael Jackson doing this move. Every time I tried to do it, I felt I could never do it justice, my feet would always find it hard to slide back properly. To this day, I think Michael Jackson is one of the greatest […]