Excellence in Black Dance: Why We Should Support Black Artistry

DANCE REVIEW

By Oluwatosin Ogunmola
Spectrum Staff Writer

You don’t have to be an artist to appreciate art. I love watching dance performances, especially Black dancing.

I went to watch the dance concert “Excellence in Black Dance” hosted by BSU’s performing arts department and the experience was surreal: The transitions from jazz to classical to rap and pop was a nice touch to show Black dance can float through all genres.

One of the best pieces was when the performers danced to a Sade song named “Pearl.” Sade is one of my favorite artists, and to see that song brought to life by the performers moved me.

I also like how spontaneous the show was; the last thing I would expect is for someone to be tap-dancing to Kendrick's “Alright,” but I saw it and was like, “I guess you can tap dance to rap.” This made me realize that certain dances don’t have to be limited to their original genre.

Another thing I noticed was that some pieces had no music, the performers were telling a story through dance, and I feel like I got the message.

The show was very engaging, and I was immersed in the experience. The use of lights were carefully detailed when a MLK speech came up in one of the pieces because the lights suddenly started flashing red and blue and as an member of the audience it's up to you to decide what that means.

Not only that, but I love how they used dances like ballet and contemporary dance for fast-paced songs. One particular song had African drums that were beating and increasing in pace and the performer kept spinning and it was almost eight counts. I was impressed because the contrast between what I consider a soft-dancing style and a fast-paced song with an increasing tempo created a beautiful dissonance that can only be achieved when you think outside of the box.

I loved the show in totality from start to finish. I just wish more people could have experienced it and felt exactly how I felt. It is our duty, especially during Black History Month, to go out and support Black artistry. It is one of the many ways you can give back to your community, and still get something in return. For me, it was knowledge and a new-found appreciation for Black dance.