Archive: The History of Black Dance in America (2015)

The History of Black Dance in America
Juneteenth 2015!
A show 10 years in the making.  An event 150 years in the making.
June 19, 20 and 21 2015
University Theater
California State University at Dominquez Hills
See map of University campus here.
 

See a review of the show here: http://artsmeme.com/2015/06/25/review-the-history-of-black-dance-in-america/


 

What is “The History of Black Dance in America”?
HBDA is a multi-media dance concert that showcases the contributions of African-Americans to popular American social dance from slavery to the modern era.  It has been presented every year since 2011, and in 2015 was funded by a successful Kickstarter campaign. Audiences are mesmerized by authentic renditions of dances such as Zulu, Work Songs, Cakewalk, Spiritual Dances, Shim Sham, Lindy Hop, Foxtrot, the African inspired Latin-American dances, and more. It is a family-friendly show that hopes to entertain as well as teach some little known history that every American should know. The 2015 performance also observes the 150th Anniversary of Juneteenth, the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.

 
 

What is Juneteenth?
Juneteenth is the oldest known celebration commemorating the ending of slavery in the United States.  Dating back to 1865, it was on June 19ththat the Union soldiers, led by Major General Gordon Granger, landed at Galveston, Texas with news that the war had ended and that the enslaved were now free. Note that this was two and a half years after President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation - which had become official January 1, 1863. The Emancipation Proclamation had little impact on the Texans due to the minimal number of Union troops to enforce the new Executive Order. However, with the surrender of General Lee in April of 1865, and the arrival of General Granger’s regiment, the forces were finally strong enough to influence and overcome the resistance.  One of General Granger’s first orders of business was to read to the people of Texas, General Order Number 3 which began most significantly with:

 
"The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and free laborer."
 

Videos:

 
 

Type Title Post datesort ascending Updated/commented date
Video Embed Shim Sham performed at Black Women Physicians Fundraiser 2010-10-16 Monday, October 18, 2010 - 12:58am Saturday, May 2, 2015 - 5:30pm
Video Embed Chester Taps at Black Women Physicians Fundraiser 2010-10-16 Monday, October 18, 2010 - 12:58am Saturday, May 2, 2015 - 5:30pm
Video Embed Ron and Xia dance to "Temptation" at Black Women Physicians fundraiser 1010-10-16 Monday, October 18, 2010 - 12:58am Saturday, May 2, 2015 - 5:30pm
Video Embed Xia and Ron perform to "Scent of a Woman" at Pico Fairfax Village Block Party 2010-10-09 Saturday, October 9, 2010 - 5:57pm Saturday, May 2, 2015 - 5:30pm
Video Embed Ron and Gwen perform "Work Out" at PicFair Village Block Party 2010-10-09 Saturday, October 9, 2010 - 5:57pm Saturday, May 2, 2015 - 5:30pm
Event Pico-Fairfax Street Fair Sunday, September 12, 2010 - 11:21pm Saturday, May 2, 2015 - 5:30pm
Video Embed The Truth (About Success) Saturday, August 28, 2010 - 11:26am Tuesday, January 30, 2018 - 7:52pm
Event Swing Baby Swing at the Apollo Theatre Friday, August 20, 2010 - 9:41am Saturday, May 2, 2015 - 5:30pm
Event Cotton Club Night - Association of Black Women Physicians Thursday, August 19, 2010 - 11:35am Thursday, August 20, 2015 - 4:47pm
Event Thixotix Runway Dance Fusion Thursday, August 19, 2010 - 11:10am Thursday, August 20, 2015 - 4:45pm

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