WHAT IS EthnodanceologyCreative?

EthnodanceologyCreative™ is a dance and culture implementation boutique for K – 12 schools and non-profit and community organizations bridging dance, culture and education.

ROOTS

I started my education outreach initiative in 2007, in Brooklyn, New York after working as Katherine Dunham’s personal archivist and a Dance PhD student. I called my boutique EthnodanceologyCreative, coining the term, “Ethnodanceology” to mean “the study of dance within a cultural context. I would go in to develop tens of programs across NYC teaching thousands of students.

IMPACT

• Successfully developed STEAM focused curriculum
• Engaged with 2,000+ primary, secondary and tertiary level students through program development
• Implemented over 100 education programs and initiatives.
• Developed, launched and supervised tens of fundraising events securing 30+ sponsors and donors and successfully raising 100% of the target donation amounts and resource goals yearly.
• EthnodanceologyCreative℠ Partners:
• NYCity Explorers, Camille A. Brown and Dancers, Global Elevation, NYC Board of Education – PS 193, Long Island University, Princeton & Drew University SIG Program & others.
• Secured multi-year non-profit fiscal sponsorship

CONTEXT

F or nearly a century, dancers, anthropologists and scholars have studied dance as an aspect of culture. After working with the late dance anthropologist Katherine Dunham, and beginning doctoral studies I wanted to have a clearer definition around what it was I was doing. I saw myself as a dancer and anthropologist in training … as someone who studied dance within a cultural context. Instead of referring to myself as a dancer and ethnographer or dance anthropologist, the latter term used most often for those who practice what I do, I decided to come up with a neologism more precise. Something less loquacious and more linguistically economical. I saw myself as not only studying the “who”, “what”, “when”, “where”, and “why” of dance from cultures they derived but someone who also studied the “how”. The behavior and its origins, development, and impact and influence on other people, other dances and dance styles, music, other behaviors and even institutions. I decided to come up with and coin my own term, defining my work as such.

Ethnodanceology

“an area of study encompassing various approaches to the study of dance (broadly defined) that emphasize its cultural, social, material, cognitive, biological, and other dimensions or contexts instead of or in addition to its isolated movement component or any particular repertoire.” (1)

I formed the term by taking the Greek word “ethnos”, meaning nation and putting it before the French word “danser” using the English form of the word. I then added that combination to the Greek suffix “ology” meaning a subject of study or a branch of knowledge.

Since coining the term years ago, others have since started using “Ethnodanceoloy” to refer to indigenous dance or non-western world dance forms – particularly in Australia as it relates to Aborigines. I am honored that others are embracing the term however, I developed this neologism to categorize the study of any dance style within a cultural context because I believe all dance is ethnic – not just “non-western” dance forms. I believe all cultures have ethnicity and therefore their dances do too. If one is to study only what is considered “ethnic” in this case “ethnic dance” when an understanding of “ethnic” is limited to non-western culture, then when using this term, they must be aware they are not using the term in its fullest sense.

BK, NY. 2007.

An arts ed boutique was born.

“We must change the system of education and instruction. Unfortunately, history has shown us that brotherhood must be learned, when it should be natural.”

Josephine Baker