No Permission Needed
Abstract/Description/Artist Statement
This project examines how Black female dance artists have changed the ways we think about representation, opportunity, and artistic agency for Black women. The presentation includes both my original choreography, titled "No Permission Needed," and my study of how performances function as both scholarship and embodied storytelling. Grounded in the legacies of Katherine Dunham, Judith Jamison, and Beyonce, I examine how these artists challenged restrictive expectations within concert and commercial dance spaces, and reshaped standards of technique, visibility, and leadership for future generations. Focusing on themes of empowerment, identity, and resistance, this project connects historical research with contemporary choreographic practice. My choreography serves as a kinetic and kinesthetic extension of this inquiry, translating research into hip-hop and commercial jazz movement that reflects the lived experiences of Black female dancers, who have to navigate the strictures of silence and conformity, on their paths to liberation. More specifically, I investigate how movement communicates cultural resilience through the specific design of embodiment. musicality, and ensemble storytelling. My project challenges traditional perceptions of beauty, hierarchy, and authorship by positioning choreography as both academic research and artistic expression. Ultimately, "No Permission Needed" highlights how contemporary dancers build upon the artistic and cultural pathways created by Black female pioneers while claiming space unapologetically.
Faculty Advisor/Mentor
Kate Mattingly
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Email
kmatting@odu.edu
Faculty Advisor/Mentor Department
Communication & Theatre Arts
College/School Affiliation
College of Arts & Letters
Student Level Group
Undergraduate
Presentation Type
Art/Creative Work
No Permission Needed
This project examines how Black female dance artists have changed the ways we think about representation, opportunity, and artistic agency for Black women. The presentation includes both my original choreography, titled "No Permission Needed," and my study of how performances function as both scholarship and embodied storytelling. Grounded in the legacies of Katherine Dunham, Judith Jamison, and Beyonce, I examine how these artists challenged restrictive expectations within concert and commercial dance spaces, and reshaped standards of technique, visibility, and leadership for future generations. Focusing on themes of empowerment, identity, and resistance, this project connects historical research with contemporary choreographic practice. My choreography serves as a kinetic and kinesthetic extension of this inquiry, translating research into hip-hop and commercial jazz movement that reflects the lived experiences of Black female dancers, who have to navigate the strictures of silence and conformity, on their paths to liberation. More specifically, I investigate how movement communicates cultural resilience through the specific design of embodiment. musicality, and ensemble storytelling. My project challenges traditional perceptions of beauty, hierarchy, and authorship by positioning choreography as both academic research and artistic expression. Ultimately, "No Permission Needed" highlights how contemporary dancers build upon the artistic and cultural pathways created by Black female pioneers while claiming space unapologetically.