African American social dance styles

Learn about the lineage of African American social dance styles that inform popular dances of today. In this video, NYC choreographer Camille A. Brown shares her research on this important legacy of movement.

Use the activities below to increase your understanding and share with others

Activities

  1. Describe in writing or in a conversation with family certain SHAPES you saw the dancers making with their bodies?
  2. Sketch, paint, or sculpt some of these shapes made by the dancers.
  3. Clap or drum some of the RHYTHMS you saw in the video.
  4. Did any of these dance moves look familiar to you? Where have you seen these dances?
  5. Choose a dance or a move from the video to demonstrate and honor the legacy of African American social dance!
  6. Choose a dance or move for each family member to demonstrate.

Bonus points for sharing your own dancing on the Whatcom Arts Project Facebook page with us! Post a video and share in the fun!

Whatcom Arts Project

Staying together while apart


Bellingham and Whatcom County deeply value togetherness. Although we want everyone to be safe at home (for now), we believe in staying connected during this time of being apart.
 

To achieve that goal, more than 30 performing and visual arts organizations have collaborated to form an online campaign to inform, entertain, educate, inspire, support, promote, and uplift each other daily and remain socially close while physically distanced.
 

Learn with us, dance with us, sing with us, be creative with us, all in the comfort of your home. See our daily content offering performances, classes, narratives, interactive tours and other arts experiences all online.

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