Pretend I'm Not Bouncing.
Dancer BRANDON BARKER has his dance passion in three worlds --- the academy of a university where he is currently finishing up a BFA in concert dance, the legendary company of Black American dance Alvin Ailey where he has worked and trained, and the swing scene where he is a Lindy Hopper and Jazz dancer, performer, and teacher. See how those worlds criss-cross and collide in today's episode.
0:00 Brandon breaks down his dancing life for the discussion
6:00 Working with Clyde Wilder
8:00 What's it like being a student in your dance forms compared to each other
14:00 Bobby learns jazz and tap from a Ballerina
16:00 Performance and competitions background approaches
20:00 The art of throwing yourself into things
24:00 What's it like teaching those in the swing scene, especially with your background in concert dance training?
35:00 What are some of the things its hard to get concert dancers to do in jazz dance movement?
37:00 What happens when Hip Hop and House dancers swing?
45:00 Being a Choreography-trained dancer, what was it like when you started trying out improvisation?
54:00 In all your dance places, are you treated differently? Anything you want to share about being a Black Man in those spaces?
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Welcome to Integrated Rhythm! Two Swing Dancing besties (Chisomo Selemani & Bobby White) navigate race and the Black Experience in the world of Jazz Dance and other Afro-centric social dancing. Our goal is comfortable conversations about uncomfortable things.
Our music is by Laurel Ryan & Michelle Stokes, and the background drumming is by Bobby White
Find us at your local podcast ap, or at: https://anchor.fm/integratedrhythm
Please donate to help keep us in business:
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