Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Rachael McLaren in performance.
As members of the International Association of Blacks in Dance would tell you, "blacks in dance" and "black dance" are two very different concepts.
"What is white dance? No one has ever been asked to define that term," says Patrick Parson, artistic director of Toronto's Ballet Creole and an IABD member. "There is no black dance per se. Rather, there are blacks in dance working in many different styles and genres."
For only the second time in the organization's history, the annual IABD conference and festival is being held outside the United States – in Toronto. The city hosted the event in 2007, and is the host city again, under the auspices of Dance Immersion, the blacks in dance advocacy group founded by Vivine Scarlett in 1995.
"I wanted to host the conference again because the 2007 event sparked dance collaborations between companies, and teacher and choreographer exchanges," says Scarlett. "More importantly, it showed off the talent of Canadian black dance artists to a wide audience. ...The various performances demonstrated that there is more to blacks in dance than Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Dance Theatre of Harlem."
The conference will indeed highlight the diversity among black dance artists, with four different showcases that take place at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre – Emerging Artists, Canadian Companies, IABD Members and the International Presentation. Collectively, the showcases include 34 different companies and schools, representing 12 American cities, four Canadian cities and eight countries. The performances range from African, Caribbean and Australian Aboriginal dance, to modern, contemporary, tap and hip hop.
"Having the event outside the United States validates the fact that we are an international organization," says Denise Saunders Thompson, the current IABD chair and an instructor of theatre arts administration and dance at Howard University in Washington. "If our mission is to raise the awareness of blacks in dance in terms of both performance and history, we need international exposure."
IABD was founded in 1988 by five remarkable women: Joan Myers Brown, Ann Williams, Cleo Parker Robinson, Lula Washington and Jeraldyne Blunden. Each founded a company and school that have now become American institutions of renown.
In conversations with Brown and Williams, one gets the sense that while the relevance of IABD keeps evolving, many of the negative issues that led to its founding are still in place.
"So-called black companies are slotted into a specific category, although we are all very different," Brown says. "Therefore, producers of dance series are reluctant to include more than one 'black dance' company on their seasons. We all have to do a better job at marketing."
"When we started IABD, 'black' companies were at the bottom of the totem pole in terms of government and corporate funding," Williams explains. "We still have to fight for name recognition. We know our worth as black dance artists but we have to demonstrate that talent to the world. Mainstream dance companies still don't accept black dancers in large numbers."
On the positive side, IABD master classes reflect the growing virtuosity in technique and choreography, and the development of new dance forms such as urban dance. Legendary black artists are honoured at the event – this year it's Jamaica's Rex Nettleford. Panel discussions include how to start your own dance company. The IABD member companies also hold auditions in each city.
"The western world owes a huge debt to black culture. But much of that contribution has been appropriated or marginalized," says Zab Maboungou, artistic director of Montreal's Compagnie Danse Nyata Nyata. "IABD raises the profile of blacks in dance. It connects us to our roots and history, while helping to make black dance artists more visible."
The IABD Conference and Festival showcases take place at Toronto's Queen Elizabeth Theatre, Jan. 26 to 29. For conference events, visit danceimmersion.ca.