When Toronto native Nia Faith Betty started Révolutionnaire, she set out to help dancers of color feel less alone in the predominantly white dance world. The first step: designing dance apparel that matched more than just white skin tones. The second: expanding her color-inclusive brand into a robust social justice platform. That social network, she […]
Dance Spirit has highlighted college dance programs committed to dismantling white supremacy. But what if you arrive at your dream dance school to find that Western dance forms are at the center of every core requirement, or that your reading list doesn’t feature a single nonwhite academic? We spoke with Alex Christmas, a doctoral student […]
You may know—or have seen on social media—that International Human Rights Day is in December. But did you know December is also Universal Human Rights Month? Communities all over the world designate this time to acknowledge the basic rights of every human, and to celebrate the idea that we all deserve to be treated with […]
In many ways, the planet we live on is like a dance partner. It provides for us, inspires us, and supports us. And like in any good duet, both partners benefit when support and respect go both ways. Did you know that there are choices you can make as a dancer to lessen your impact […]
If you are a non-Black dancer, you likely want to be an ally to Black dancers, but you might not know where to start. You might even be thinking, “What does it mean to be an ally?” Allyship, says Melanie Person, co-director of The Ailey School in NYC, is “the process by which people build […]
With the 2020 election right around the corner, many have taken to social media to rally around the need to vote. This is especially true for members of the dance community, many of whom are concerned about how the election will impact not only the future of their careers, but also their human rights. The […]
Isabella Grosso knows firsthand how dance can help heal survivors of sexual abuse. And it became her mission to share this gift with other survivors through her L.A.-based organization, She-Is. The nonprofit is dedicated to providing a supportive environment for young female survivors of sexual abuse and sex trafficking, inspiring them to regain control of […]
Dance and activism can go hand in hand in a number of ways. Over the past few months, many dancers have turned to their art not only to advocate in support of the Black Lives Matter movement, but to highlight injustice within the dance world itself. Whether it’s incorporating dance into protests, starting conversations with […]