Beneath Her Strength: A Choreographic Analysis of Today's Black Woman
Session Title
Performances
Faculty Mentor
Kelly Ozust, MFA
College
College of Visual and Performing Arts
Department
Theatre & Dance
Abstract
The general topic of my research is the emotional complexities of the Black woman, and how American society mishandles them. The central problem that my research addresses is that today in American society, the Black woman and mother is under appreciated and overworked. She is expected to be emotionless, as any display of her emotions is often misconstrued, and used against her to illegitimate her strength and accomplishments. It is important to address this topic so that viewers can understand how they contribute to the mistreatment of Black women. It is my belief that almost everyone, the Black woman included, contributes to this mistreatment, in ways more than one. It is not until one understands how they contribute to an issue that they can be open to contributing to the resolution of an issue. Primary experiences are a driving factor into the creation of my movement. As a Black woman choreographing a work with a cast of only Black women, an organic discussion space is naturally created. Through discussion and improvisation, I am able to incorporate material that speaks to their own experiences as well as my own. In addition, I am creating and exploring movement through listening to material and stimulus about my topic. Through reading poems, listening to spoken words, podcasts, and reading articles, I have been able to educate myself on multiple perspectives within my chosen topic, and explore just how many different ways my topic can manifest itself in the Black woman’s daily life.
Course Assignment
DANT 301 – Ozust
Previously Presented/Performed?
Winthrop University Showcase of Undergraduate Research and Creative Endeavors, Rock Hill, SC, April 2023.
Type of Presentation
Performance of my creative work
Start Date
15-4-2023 12:00 PM
Beneath Her Strength: A Choreographic Analysis of Today's Black Woman
The general topic of my research is the emotional complexities of the Black woman, and how American society mishandles them. The central problem that my research addresses is that today in American society, the Black woman and mother is under appreciated and overworked. She is expected to be emotionless, as any display of her emotions is often misconstrued, and used against her to illegitimate her strength and accomplishments. It is important to address this topic so that viewers can understand how they contribute to the mistreatment of Black women. It is my belief that almost everyone, the Black woman included, contributes to this mistreatment, in ways more than one. It is not until one understands how they contribute to an issue that they can be open to contributing to the resolution of an issue. Primary experiences are a driving factor into the creation of my movement. As a Black woman choreographing a work with a cast of only Black women, an organic discussion space is naturally created. Through discussion and improvisation, I am able to incorporate material that speaks to their own experiences as well as my own. In addition, I am creating and exploring movement through listening to material and stimulus about my topic. Through reading poems, listening to spoken words, podcasts, and reading articles, I have been able to educate myself on multiple perspectives within my chosen topic, and explore just how many different ways my topic can manifest itself in the Black woman’s daily life.
