Dubbin... what is Dubbin? I am wondering what the young girl wide eyed yet speaking so matter-of-factly is talking about. She realizes my fellow dancer colleague and I sitting on the stage listening intently have no idea what she is talking about. So she proceeds to explain the ritual of the school dance where the boy comes up from behind the girl and starts grinding on her with his pelvis and other such non welcomed body parts to say the least. My friend and I look at each other with recollection in our memories of something sounding very familiar about this and simultaneously we blurt out with smirks, tossed back heads and roll of the eyes... "ooohhhh yeah we know all about that!"
They are young girls gathered in the assembly ages 14-17 and we have many more years on them yet there's no great chasm in relating to their horror stories of broken boundaries and mounting pressures weighing on their sexuality. Surprisingly, these girls were one up on the game when they were asked questions by their facilitator on what they felt was the difference between the dancing of myself and my colleague K (i'll call her).. and that of the Gold Digger video by Kayne West we just showed them. K and I sat there perhaps waiting for the moment we'd have to scurry thoughts around in our heads for the rescuing counter answer to their lost mislead insights into the video. Nope no such need.. we took a nice deep breath and there was no need to ride in on our white horses and shining armor of truth for the rescue. These girls had it on lock. They quickly spouted out insightful answers with such conviction revealing the video's true transparency. There it was in plain daylight the exploiting of women's sexuality and the provocative, barely if any dancing at all display for men.
K and I had no idea the incredible experience we were embarking upon. Here we were representatives from the Roots Dance Theatre in Massachusetts at the Girl's Leadership Institute Summer Camp ready to explore the unmarked territory of these young girls lives. They already spent some time engaging in breaking down some of the social and emotional walls they had when they arrived at camp and so what was our purpose? Hmmm well I would say there is nothing better than the task of sharing the very thing you love, to educate and inspire... DANCE. One show with Roots Dance Theatre a few months previous led to this moment. We had put our hearts on the stage as RDT in San Diego and were discovered by Rachel Simmons,an educator coach and founder of GLI (Girl's Leadership Institute) who took to our expression and message of our dance. There we were with the opportunity to contribute to these girls impressionable journeys through their summer camp.
It was an eye opening time being able to share our personal talents with these young women in dance workshops. After wonderful input and direction from Rachel we were able to engage with them in a way that would be thought provoking. We asked them questions that would allow them to connect to themselves through dance. It was so refreshing to hear them jump at the opportunity to share their thoughts and feelings. The performance we prepared for them made a hit impression on them and even better was the following Q and A dialogue. K and I sharing our lives beyond dance was such an honor as they listened to us as a captive audience. These days it's a challenging thing to do in finding that connection with young teen women. We realized the power of dance had created a way for them to question and explore their sexuality and belief systems, their life choices and personal empowerment. Who would of thought this? But there we were in deep discussion and that was it.. they were sold.. hook line and sinker. The thrill and rush of adrenaline, the unpredictability in the unknown of the possible outcomes and reaffirmation of all the hard work we were there to share all came to one amazing end.
Last day, last workshop and the last thoughts of our new young friends on a piece of paper sharing their thoughts on our work there was all worth it as we sat on the plane ride home reading over 30 piece of loos leaf papers. Lives were impacted and changed and our dream purpose to take RDT to new heights of reformation in the dance world and communities were all sealed with a stamp of approval that weekend. Roots Dance Theatre was making it's introduction into the world exceeding all expectations and defining themselves as ground breakers ready to share their gifts of dance, education, and roots with all those around them. K and I were simply glad that we could be those vessels to show that Dance DOES do a BODY good and the SOUL.
with soul,
Artistic Soul
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