Mellon Foundation Awards SLIPPAGE Multi-year Funding

View video documentation of previous Mellon gatherings below.  

Learn more about Fall 2024’s Symposium here.

Dancing a black social II 

Winter 2024 Mellon Symposium

February 16-18, 2024, SLIPPAGE and the Collegium for African Diaspora Dance convened its 6th bi-annual conference themed “BODY GEOGRAPHIES|MAPPING FREEDOMS.” In addition to interdisciplinary keynotes, awards presentations and performances, selected papers, panels, films and workshops explored the intersection of Black dance practices and geographical contexts and posed questions about the relationship between place and creative expression. A second, smaller convening of Mellon researchers met over four sessions during the larger conference, again allowing conference attendees to witness the proceedings.    

Participating Researchers: 

Naomi Bragin, Associate Professor, University of Washington 

Thomas F. DeFrantz, Professor, Northwestern University 

E. Moncell Durden, Associate Professor of Practices, University of Southern California 

Melanie George, Founder, “Jazz Is…” Dance Project 

Imani Kai Johnson, Associate Professor & Vice Chair, UC Riverside 

Raquel Monroe, Associate Dean/Professor, UT Austin College of Fine Arts 

Gianina K.L. Strother, Assistant Professor, Michigan State University 

 

Dancing A Black Social 

Fall 2023 Mellon Symposium

The first symposium of the multi-year SLIPPAGE project Black Dance and Geographies of Freedom convened by SLIPPAGE artistic director Thomas F. DeFrantz and supported by a grant from the Mellon Foundation occurred at Northwestern University’s Chicago Wirtz Center October 12-14, 2023.  Twelve embodied researchers, all specialists in Black Dance and Black social formations, gathered to imagine relevant research methods that underscore the theoretical and experiential complexity of movements we call Black Social Dance.  Events included individual presentations by each research, formal group explorations and responses, and many opportunities for informal social discussion and movement.  In addition, approximately 5-10 ‘witnesses’ – graduate students and other interested publics – attended each session. 

Participating researchers: 

Kemi Adeyemi, Associate Professor, University of Washington  

DJ Celeste Alexander, Mix Artist/ DJ / Vibe curator 

Junious L. Brickhouse, Urban Artistry Inc. / Next Level 

Kyle “JustSole” + “Queen Dinita” Clark, Clark Method  

Thomas F. DeFrantz, Professor, Northwestern University 

E. Moncell Durden, Associate Professor of Practices, University of Southern California  

Michelle “Mz. G” Gibson, Professor of Practice, Southern Methodist University 

Xavier Livermon, Associate Professor, UC Santa Cruz 

Gabrielle “Queen Gabby” McLeod, Dancer, Choreographer, Teacher, Ambassador 

Raquel Monroe, Associate Dean/Professor, UT Austin College of Fine Arts 

Rosemarie A. Roberts, Professor of Dance, Connecticut College