Dialogue

Black dance as artivism: Preserving African culture through movement

Produced by Arielle Raveney and Kennedy Vincent
 

Photo courtesy of Vershawn Sanders-Ward and Cristian Barreto

Listen (Duration: 30:00)
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"Dance reflects what a community or a society values. It houses the politics of that community. It houses the value system." ~ Dr. Kamal Nance

The term "artivism," which is a combination of two words, artist and activist, emerged from the Chicano and Zapatista movements in the late 90s.

Artivism is used to describe artists who use their talents to fight injustice and oppression, but in what ways are artists in Illinois using their creativity as a form of artivism?

In this segment, hear from two Illinois dancers who are using their art to create conversation.
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GUESTS:

Dr. Kamal Nance 

  • Associate Professor at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
  • Master teacher of the Umfundalai technique of African dance 

Vershawn Sanders-Ward