Black History Month: Dance workshop ‘INSPIRES’ Black dancers in Milwaukee
Dance workshop ‘INSPIRES’ Black dancers in Milwaukee
A new recent dance workshop in Milwaukee connected Black dancers to their history, while reminding them of their power and place in the dance community.
MILWAUKEE - A new dance workshop in Milwaukee connected Black dancers to their history, while reminding them of their power and place in the dance community.
Power of dance
The backstory:
The INSPIRE Community Dance workshop happened inside the Milwaukee Performing Arts Center Saturday, Jan. 11.
"I feel that dance is therapy and dance is healing," choreographer Adrean Maxwell said.
Adrean Maxwell
Maxwell taught the small group afro contemporary dance.
"It really takes and draws from the rhythmic styles of West African dance, meaning Guinea, Mali, Senegal," Maxwell said.
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Dancers of different abilities honored their history and culture with every turn.
"We recognize the traditions and the shoulders we stand on when we’re doing these forms," Maxwell said.
"There’s a connection to our roots that comes through the afro fusion and the afro contemporary. But then it brings it into the modern world or the things that are trending on TikTok and Instagram to keep people engaged," Debrasha Greye said.
Debrasha Greye
Greye organized the INSPIRE workshop and the dance collective performance, which happened on Feb. 1. She fell in love with dance as a little girl.
"There’s a moment of getting lost in this body movement, I can let go of what I’m dealing with," Greye said. "I want Black and brown people, students, adults, children to know that dance is for us."
"Movement is so relaxing and almost meditating," Ciara Hart, a participant, said. "It’s really nice to be around a lot of people who look like you and to have a class that’s so connected to my ancestry."
Big picture view:
For this small group of dancers, there is a big hope.
"I’m hoping that people feel excited to continue dancing after they leave a class, any class that they take today," Debrasha Greye said.
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"As an American doing African diaspora form, we should always give context and culture to what the history is," Adrean Maxwell said. "I find that we need more of this in our city. More African diaspora dance around Milwaukee."
The Source: The information in this post was produced by FOX6 News with help from INSPIRE Community Dance.