Have you met… Norma’s Jazz Dancers?

This is the first in a series of "Have you met.." organized by CVFC & Black Lindy Hoppers Fund (10 euros) Time, Saturday February 27th 9.00-12.00 PT (Los Angeles) 18.00-21.00 CET (Berlin) 12.00-15.00 EDT (New York) 01.00-04.00 Sunday 28th , GMT+8 (Hong Kong) Please join CVFC and Black Lindy Hoppers Fund as we welcome Ms Mickey Davidson, Ms Amaniyea Payne and Ms Darlene Askew Gist "That invisibility to which I refer occurs because of a peculiar disposition of the eyes of those with whom I come in contact. A matter of the construction of their INNER eyes, those eyes with which they look through their physical eyes upon reality.” ― Ralph Ellison, Invisible Man The Black Lindy Hoppers Fund (BLHF) and Collective Voices for Change (CVFC) share a respect, love and concern for the future of Lindy Hop and Jazz dance. A central feature of the work before us, as members and supporters of the Jazz Dance community, is to reconsider the narrative we have accepted about the life story of Lindy Hop. Many of us learned a version of history wherein this dance was cast aside out of disinterest, only to be rescued from the rubbish pile by beneficent members of an outside culture and community whom we now consider most knowledgeable, and best suited to share it. With that in mind, we ask have you met Ms. Amaniyea Payne, Ms. Mickey Davidson or Ms. Darlene Gist, all of whom danced throughout the 80’s with Norma Miller, prior to the “revival” to which many of us attribute our knowledge and existence? These women are bearers of the ancestral inheritance to which we owe our origin. Their lives bridge the divide between the years when the innovators and founders of Jazz lived and worked, and today’s dance community where, in the absence of those living touchstones, we are in danger of a complete, and devastating cultural erasure. From training with Mable Lee and Mama Lou Parks, to performing with Harold Nicholas, the careers of each woman has had its own distinct path. On Saturday, February 27th at noon EST, we will welcome these key figures in the Jazz Dance continuum to this collaborative event offered by BLHF and CVFC. This opportunity to begin building a relationship with them will offer us a roadmap for both the how and the why of what we do. Join us. Registration: Please submit your registration through the following link: https://www.collectivevoicesforchange.org/upcoming Event Cost: Minimum price: 5€ (contributions over 10€ will be highly appreciated) Who is the event for: Everyone is welcome to attend the event but we would like to particularly encourage people working (part-time or full-time) with African American vernacular Jazz dances or music to register to our series. Why are we charging money? The money we receive will be used to cover the technical costs of this and future events (paying our panelists for their work, zoom platform, investing in the development of CVFC such as a website...), the rest of the money will be donated to projects focusing on black American institutions for youths programs, and vernacular jazz dances. To see our previous webinars please check our website: https://www.collectivevoicesforchange.org