Black Dance Collectivity Studies Project brings representatives of Dancing While Black, Black Dance Change Makers, and Beyond the Black Box – three cultural organizations that are committed to supporting Black dance artists and artistry through their various platforms – in a presentation and discussion format moderated by MR Artists of Color Council Coordinator, Jelani Taylor.
Dancing While Black, a program of Angela’s Pulse, centers the voices of Black dance artists, providing opportunities to self-determine the languages and lenses that define our work. DWB operates at the intersection of aesthetics and organizing. Central to the work is building partnerships – with presenters, organizers, curators and artists. Kayla Hamilton and Marguerite Hemmings, members of the DWB Co-leadership team, will present about Dancing While Black’s shift to a co-leadership model, 10th Anniversary celebrations, and the restart of the Dancing While Black Fellowship.
What is the dancer’s role in the revolution? At Black Dance Change Makers, we are building what traditional institutions never offered us: tools, programs, and spaces that honor Black dancers as leaders, visionaries, and organizers. Too often, dancers are positioned as decoration, or at best, as igniters of change. We reject that. We are not sparks for someone else’s fire. We are active participants in the work of liberation. We believe cultural work is political work. And dancers, rooted in rhythm, rigor, and ritual, are among our most powerful organizers. At the heart of it all is a commitment to liberation that begins in the body and expands outward, shaping the world we deserve.
Beyond the Black Box (BBB) will share how we amplify, connect, and sustain Black dance artists and collectives through visibility, resources, and collaborative exchange. We’ll explain why empowerment in NYC is essential and we’ll detail the work in motion: neighborhood gatherings, peer-learning labs, artist-to-artist collaborations, and practical resource sharing (space, mini-grants, production support), along with recent successes like our 2025 Block Party and Juneteenth Party serving as living examples.
For event-related questions, please email studiesproject@movementresearch.org.
Accessibility Notes
- This event includes auditive guidance.
- This event may include text/images/video shared on a large screen television.
- This event may include printed materials and digital readings.
To request ASL interpretation or Audio Description, please email accessibility@movementresearch.org, subject line “ASL/Audio Description Request, Studies Project ” at least three (3) weeks prior to the event date.
For access-related questions and requests, please contact accessibility@movementresearch.org, subject line “Studies Project.”
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In-Person
This is a FREE event, a suggested $5 donation is encouraged and appreciated!
Please ONLY register if you plan to attend. Each person wishing to attend must register individually.
Once RSVPs have reached capacity, a waitlist will become available. Entry from the waitlist will be according to the date and time each name was added.
