Your dance of choice might be the Bop or the Milly Rock or the Running Man but, no matter what your favorite dance move is, you can relate to the Black cultural and community-based nature of ways to make your body rock. Now, you can watch a short film about the ways that social dance has evolved from our long history of using rhythm to communicate and connect with our kinfolk. It is pure magic.The video was created by TED and narrated by choreographer and educator Camille A. Brown. The 4 and a half-minute film is filled with vibrant colors, dancers of all ages and body types, and lively music that reminds us how much music runs through our DNA. Apparently, that’s the whole point.

On the TED web page, the clip is described as follows:

Why do we dance? African-American social dances started as a way for enslaved Africans to keep cultural traditions alive and retain a sense of inner freedom. They remain an affirmation of identity and independence. In this electric demonstration, packed with live performances, choreographer, educator and TED Fellow Camille A. Brown explores what happens when communities let loose and express themselves by dancing together.

Watch the full video below:

Image via TED

Author

  • Jenn M. Jackson was born and raised in East Oakland, California, a fact which motivates her writing and academic ambitions. She is a scholar, educator, and writer whose writing addresses Black Politics and civil and public life for young Black people with a focus on policing and surveillance. She is also the Editor-in-Chief of Water Cooler Convos, a culture platform for Black millennials. Her writing has been featured in Washington Post, BITCH Magazine, Marie Claire, EBONY, The Root, Daily Dot, The Independent, and many others. Jackson is a doctoral candidate at the University of Chicago studying American Politics with a focus on political participation and engagement, public opinion and social movements. For more about her, tweet her at @JennMJack or visit her website at jennmjackson.com.