Individual Presentation or Panel Title
“And in This House”
Abstract
My thesis research began with the question “Who am I?”, which prompted me to explore the issues around the untold stories within the black communities, both historical and current. I concentrate on the relationship between black women and the systems that exploit them. It is important to discuss the history of exploitation and the objectification of black women and their bodies. One of the ways exploitation shows up in mainstream media is through the exposure of women’s bodies. Through both dance and dialogue, I dissect what it means for the bodies to be a “temple” or a “house,” in which one is in total control of her own femininity, race, and sexuality. In African-American communities, the woman usually holds the power within the household. However, outside of the house, women have been eroticized, objectified, stereotyped, and ripped of their rights. In this performance work, we are investigating the recurring pattern in popular culture that demonstrates an overwhelming interest in women’s bodies being used as revenue. Has America moved away from ridiculing a black body, or are we continuing to perpetuate a system rooted in white supremacist capitalist patriarchy?
Location
Botetourt Building - Dance Studio 2
Start Date
11-4-2015 2:30 PM
End Date
11-4-2015 3:20 PM
“And in This House”
Botetourt Building - Dance Studio 2
My thesis research began with the question “Who am I?”, which prompted me to explore the issues around the untold stories within the black communities, both historical and current. I concentrate on the relationship between black women and the systems that exploit them. It is important to discuss the history of exploitation and the objectification of black women and their bodies. One of the ways exploitation shows up in mainstream media is through the exposure of women’s bodies. Through both dance and dialogue, I dissect what it means for the bodies to be a “temple” or a “house,” in which one is in total control of her own femininity, race, and sexuality. In African-American communities, the woman usually holds the power within the household. However, outside of the house, women have been eroticized, objectified, stereotyped, and ripped of their rights. In this performance work, we are investigating the recurring pattern in popular culture that demonstrates an overwhelming interest in women’s bodies being used as revenue. Has America moved away from ridiculing a black body, or are we continuing to perpetuate a system rooted in white supremacist capitalist patriarchy?