Programs & Initiatives
My community-centered programs and initiatives represent a core dimension of my scholarly research. Rooted in cultural inquiry, education, and healing, these programs extend beyond traditional studio or stage settings to engage broader publics in embodied, research based dialogue. Initiatives such as RACE AND…Dance and Black Beauty Dance function as interdisciplinary platforms where movement is used not only as artistic expression but as a tool for reflection, historical reckoning, and collective growth. Developed in response to community needs, particularly during moments of social upheaval and isolation, such as the COVID-19 pandemic, these initiatives are informed by Black feminist thought, culturally responsive pedagogy, and practices of communal care.
They are research in action: developed through listening, built through collaboration, and evaluated through impact on participants and communities. Through these programs and initiatives, I explore how dance functions as both a scholarly and socially engaged practice. Participants encounter dance as a method for investigating personal identity, cultural history, and social systems, often in conversation with guest artists, scholars, or public dialogue. These experiences are designed and facilitated with intention, centering relationship building as a key part of the research process, for both my students and myself. The resulting presentations and curriculum tools expand the reach of my scholarship while deepening our shared investment in cultural understanding and community. My programs and initiatives reflect a commitment to decolonizing academic frameworks and positioning Street and Club dance practices as sites of critical knowledge. They show that community engagement is not a side project but a vital, evolving part of my scholarship.
Featured photo by Cherylynn Tsushima, courtesy of Jacob’s Pillow