DANCE BLACK JOY: Global Affirmations and Defiance centered African diaspora dance as a resource and method of aesthetic possibility.The third Collegium for African Diaspora Dance (CADD) conference carried forward enlivening discussions on the power and politics of global Black Dance as scholars, practitioners, educators, and other stakeholders came together for three days of intellectual and artistic inspiration.
Anchored by critical dialogue and provocative research presentations, the conference featured breakout sessions, movement workshops, film screenings, and a performance of CANE: a responsive environment dancework, conceived by Thomas F. DeFrantz and SLIPPAGE: Performance|Culture|Technology in collaboration with Wideman/Davis Dance.
Tribute to Baba Chuck Davis
Dr. Charles "Baba Chuck" Davis was a central presence at previous conferences and we along with dance communities all over world deeply feel Davis’ absence. To create energy around Davis’ mission to preserve, perpetuate, and extend African Diasporan dance traditions, our 2018 conference devoted intentional focus to his legacy through extended processional and panel discussion offering an opportunity for artists who were close to Chuck Davis’ work to talk about his vision and openly strategize about ways to keep his work alive in concert performance, the academy, and community development. Two panels were convened at the opening of the conference: "Sipping from the Chalice: Chuck Davis’ Vision and the future of African Dance Performance" moderated by C. Kemal Nance and "Drumming The Dance: Reflections and Experiences from percussionists in the time of Baba Chuck" moderated by Andrea E. Woods Valdes.
Schedule Overview: Featured Events
| FRI 1:00 PM | Processional | Conference Welcome featuring Duke University President Vincent Price and Duke Dance Chair Purnima Shah |
| FRI 1:30-3:00 PM | PANEL | Sipping from the Chalice: Chuck Davis' Vision and the future of African Dance Performance |
| FRI 3:00-4:00 PM | ROUNDTABLE | Afro-Feminist Performance Routes Roundtable |
| FRI 3:00-4:30 PM | ROUNDTABLE | Drumming The Dance: Reflections and Experiences from percussionists in the time of Baba Chuck |
| FRI 7:00 PM | PERFORMANCE | CANE: a responsive environment dancework |
| FRI 9:00 PM | FILM | Balé de Pé no Chão: a Dança Afro de Mercedes Baptista Gênero |
| FRI 10:00 PM | BANTABA | Late night West African dance gathering |
| SAT 9:00-10:00 AM | WORKSHOP | Afro-Feminist Performance Routes Workshop |
| SAT 10:15-11:00 AM | KEYNOTE SPEAKER | Melissa Blanco Borelli |
| SAT 11:15 AM-12:15 PM | WORKSHOP | Writing Black Dancer Memoir: Telling Your Personal-Professional Story |
| SAT 2:30-3:30 PM | KEYNOTE SPEAKER | Marianna Francisca Martins Monteiro |
| SAT 7:30 PM | PERFORMANCE | Presenter's Showcase curated by Andrea Woods Valdes |
| SAT 9:00 PM-MIDNIGHT | PARTY | Empower Dance Studio |
| SUN 11:30 AM-12:30 PM | KEYNOTE SPEAKER | Brenda Dixon Gottschild |
| SUN 2:30-3:30 PM | OPEN SHOWINGS | Works in progress/informal showings - open to all attendees and local artists |
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