(no subject)
These days,my thoughts unerringly return to Capoeira. To its music, its movements, its flow, its history,...
I have been surprised by how deeply it has sunk its talons into me. I have especially been surprised by the fresh perspective it's given me on Swing Dancing.
Capoeira seems to benefit/suffer from numerous narratives, as numerous groups see it as an activity (or, rather, a history) worth fighting for. Some of these narratives eerily correspond to ones I've found in Swing Dancing, and have helped me put words to my struggle to understand what space, if any, should be given to a White dude seeking to participate in either activity.
In retrospect, I'm surprised by how euphemistic this conversation still was when I used to dance more, and read many Swing blogs. Few people talk about cultural appropriation, or the inevitable effect of the popularization and commercialization of Swing Dancing on the modern community's look. Conversations about "authenticity" are ubiquitous, though, and the important historical figures of Swing Dancing are still venerated. But I wonder how much of it is seen as "respect", and how much is instead seen through the lens of novelty or aesthetic appreciation. I really don't know...
I do know that I no longer feel comfortable going to "costume" events, or joining in on conversations about Swing Dancing and its "cool moves".
In Capoeira, things seem clearer to me. At some point, there seems to have been a backlash against attempts to homogenize, or even sportify Capoeira, seeking to excise all its cultural baggage. It seems to me, with my limited understanding of these things, that Capoeira Angola might have also served as a bulwark against these attempts at sportification. Regardless, these cultural elements, and their historical context, are inextricable from the actual practice of Capoeira. To be a capoerista is to sing the songs of Capoeira and know what they mean, to reflect on their stories, to play its instruments. In fact, NOT participating is anathema.
Clearly, Swing Dancing does not impose these "constraints" though I think there is, as in Capoeira, an understanding of the movements that belong in one's repertoires and the ones which will ensure a Bad Time. Altogether, Swing Dancing seems to depend on the good faith of its dancers, to care and to delve into the history of Swing Dancing...
I have been surprised by how deeply it has sunk its talons into me. I have especially been surprised by the fresh perspective it's given me on Swing Dancing.
Capoeira seems to benefit/suffer from numerous narratives, as numerous groups see it as an activity (or, rather, a history) worth fighting for. Some of these narratives eerily correspond to ones I've found in Swing Dancing, and have helped me put words to my struggle to understand what space, if any, should be given to a White dude seeking to participate in either activity.
In retrospect, I'm surprised by how euphemistic this conversation still was when I used to dance more, and read many Swing blogs. Few people talk about cultural appropriation, or the inevitable effect of the popularization and commercialization of Swing Dancing on the modern community's look. Conversations about "authenticity" are ubiquitous, though, and the important historical figures of Swing Dancing are still venerated. But I wonder how much of it is seen as "respect", and how much is instead seen through the lens of novelty or aesthetic appreciation. I really don't know...
I do know that I no longer feel comfortable going to "costume" events, or joining in on conversations about Swing Dancing and its "cool moves".
In Capoeira, things seem clearer to me. At some point, there seems to have been a backlash against attempts to homogenize, or even sportify Capoeira, seeking to excise all its cultural baggage. It seems to me, with my limited understanding of these things, that Capoeira Angola might have also served as a bulwark against these attempts at sportification. Regardless, these cultural elements, and their historical context, are inextricable from the actual practice of Capoeira. To be a capoerista is to sing the songs of Capoeira and know what they mean, to reflect on their stories, to play its instruments. In fact, NOT participating is anathema.
Clearly, Swing Dancing does not impose these "constraints" though I think there is, as in Capoeira, an understanding of the movements that belong in one's repertoires and the ones which will ensure a Bad Time. Altogether, Swing Dancing seems to depend on the good faith of its dancers, to care and to delve into the history of Swing Dancing...