Part.1 - The Message

Background: The idea of CVFC started from a conversation between Marie N’diaye, Felix Berghäll and Mikaela Hellsten about the lack of understanding, in the Jazz dance community globally but particularly in Europe, about racial inequalities and cultural appropriation. Therefore, this first series of webinars will tackle the European contribution to systemic racism and Cultural Appropriation in the Jazz dance community. It is easy to say this is only a problem in the USA and to turn a blind eye to the complicity from the rest of the world, but the truth is that systemic racism is a worldwide issue. Europe has been, and remains a key player in the development of our modern international dance community (with thousands of dancers, hundreds of local dance schools/events, and some of the major international workshops and camps in the world) yet has failed to examine and acknowledge its own prejudices and participation in the on-going erasure of black voices and of black sociocultural heritage. Europe initiated an age of colonialism that still affects the world today. What if we looked at the story of the “re-discovery of Lindy Hop”, through this colonial lens? We all take part in keeping racist structures, values and legacies in place, therefore we all need to be part of the solution. Our goal is to work towards and facilitate change, and we believe that we cannot do it separately. Historically, societal change has come through dialogue between disparate groups with those who challenge long-established viewpoints. We can only shift the paradigm of our modern scene hand in hand. In order to find a solution, we first need to recognise that there is a problem. First and foremost, we must listen to black voices. Next, we must take accountability for our actions. As individuals, we must reflect on how we are contributing to the problem starting with our own behavior, prejudices and bias. This webinar is designed to be a first step toward meeting those objectives, beginning with context from an African American dancer and instructor, followed by the input of representatives from two generations of Black European dancers. Non-Black members of the board representing various European nations will add testimonials about their own journeys as a way of inviting other non-whites into the process. The work that we have put into building these initial actions through CVFC have already been transformative for those of us involved, and we are very much looking forward to entering into dialogue with you all. As South African apartheid survivor and peace Nobel prize, Archbishop Desmond Tutu once wrote: “My humanity is bound up in yours, for we can only be human together.” Welcome in the Collective Voices For Change! ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Webinar layout: The webinar series will address 3 major points: Part 1. The Message (What are the issues and our role in it?) Part 2. The Action (How can we address the issues?) Part 3. The Journey (Where are we now and where do we go from here?) The first webinar invites you into this process by listening to Breai Michele (Mason-Campbell) (community activist, cultural counselor, dance company director/USA), Ryan François (producer, director, choreographer, lecturer and professional dancer/UK) Marie N’diaye (dance researcher, choreographer, professional dancer and educator/France-UK). They will share their perspective, knowledge and experience with us as black dancers in the jazz dance community from different countries and different generations. We will then have you, the audience, reflect in your own words about what you were able to hear and receive. To round it off, Mikeala Hellsten (professional dancer, teacher and choreographer/Sweden), Felix Berghäll (professional dancer, teacher and choreographer/Sweden-Spain), Anaïs Sékiné (scholar, dance studio owner, producer, jazz dancer and educator/France-Canada) and Felipe Braga (professional dancer, teacher and choreographer/Brazil-Germany) will then conclude the event by sharing bits of their own learning into anti-racism in the community to hopefully bring you in a little closer. Who is the webinar for: Everyone is welcome to attend the webinars 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. Webinar Cost: Minimum price: 10€ (contributions over 10€ will be highly appreciated) Corona relief price: With the current economic situation due to the Covid19 pandemic we have a corona relief price of 5€ for those most affected. To complete the registration please send payment to: paypal.me/CVFC2020 P.S. Comment payment with the same name as in registration. TransferWise bank details: Name: Felix Berghall IBAN: DE61700111106051786384 Bank code (BIC/SWIFT): DEKTDE7GXXX Or send via Email: [email protected] P.S. Comment payment with the same name as in registration. Why are we charging money? The money we receive will be used to cover the technical costs of the webinar (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.