When it comes to talking about art, the first thing that comes to mind is usually either painting, drawing, or music. An often overlooked art form, dance, is just as valid a medium of expression as these other pallets and as such, deserves recognition. What is unique about dance is that often times it is a combination of two forms: music and movement. As such dance has large room for interpretation, allowing for the artist to explore both a piece of music as well as a theme through their movements on stage.
20th century “Black American Dance” traces its roots to the Harlem Renaissance where a great number of African American’s migrated from the rural south to the cities of the north, specifically New York City. Concentrated in Harlem, these migrants brought with them the artistic traditions of African culture. In the dense city, this artistic tradition clashed with pre-existing music and dance forms and in the process, jazz was born. This new music featured dissonant harmonies, complex rhythms, and a unique orchestration. In short, it was revolutionary. The dance mirrored the music’s progressiveness with steps in-time to the complex rhythms as well by using new, flashy moves.
Modern Black Dance features a combination of martial arts moves, traditional dances from Haiti, Jamaica, Trinidad, and Martinique, as well as steps from traditional ballet. To put it simply, it is a mashup of a whole bunch of different styles into a new, unique style. Because of Modern Black Dance’s unusual personality, it is the perfect accompaniment for Jazz which has a personality that is just as innovative.
Kyle Abraham’s dance “The Gettin” uses modern dance to not only compliment jazz music, but also to explore its themes and to expand on them as well. In the background of this work, Max Roach’s album We Insist, which was written in tribute to the 100 year anniversary of the Emancipation Proclamation, can be heard playing. In choreographing a dance to this song, Abraham explores the progress African American’s have made in society over the past 150 years. While they have gone a long way since the slavery of the early 19th century, there is still ground to be made. Abraham uses dance as a political and social weapon, bringing the racial problems of today to his audience’s attention. This tactic is best seen in the scene where two black men are dancing together, a white man is sitting under a tree cutting a watermelon, and two black women just sit there watching. This artistic choice is complex and prompts the audience to think about its significance.
Ultimately Kyle Abraham’s dance can be seen as more than an art-form. It is also a social statement, a trip through history, and a call for change.
I agree that dance is often overlooked as a form of art. Painting, drawing and music as you said, are forms of art we are more familiar with. Nevertheless, I find dance to be more dynamic and unique than many other art forms. You noted that dance combines music and movement. That combination alone allows for more interpretations and manipulations of a story. As a result, Abraham is able to create a story that can function as a social statement or political call for change.