AFR 245
Dancing with the Hips, Butt, and Pelvis: Dangerous Bodies and Community Traditions Spring 2024
Division II
Cross-listed DANC 220
This is not the current course catalog

Within the historical context of the U.S., dance that emphasizes hip, butt, and pelvic movement has been racialized and associated with the Black body. While the popularity of these dance styles has expanded and now different groups of people now embrace these movement vocabularies, the practices remain deeply connected to the history and culture of Black folk. Despite the increased popularity of these dances, within Eurocentric aesthetics, the Black dancing body carries the mark of vulgarity and should either be controlled, exploited, and/or exoticized. These dangerous bodies are considered sexually deviant and in need of influence and control through colonialism, imperialism, and religion. Yet, the dancing pelvis, hips, and butt write and document the Black experience. The dancing Black body carries the memories of the diaspora and provides space for the body to experience autonomy. This embodied knowledge, carried by Black bodies, is intertwined with the everyday lives of Black folk. Furthermore, through these practices, Black communities commune, resist dominant narratives, and embrace their humanity. Nevertheless, the pelvis/hips/butt dancing body is not embraced equally among Black people. In the practice of these movement genres, Black communities negotiate matters of respectability, pleasure, and self-actualization. This course is an exploration into the use of the hips, butt, and pelvis in three movement genres: bounce, a genre of hip-hip from New Orleans and origin culture of the term “twerking” Black majorette/dance team performance, a jazz and Black social dance infused form that originated from the marching band culture at Historically Black Colleges and Universities; and Caribbean wining, a hip rolling movement performed throughout the Caribbean. Students will engage with scholarship and participate in discussions focused on the individual and communal practice of these traditions. The class community will investigate themes such as respectability politics, the politics of pleasure, and communal organizing to gain a better understanding of these practices. Additionally, students will physically explore these dance traditions and work with guest artists who specialize in these practices. The course will culminate in a public dance party that will be curated and facilitated by the class community.