Abstract
Screendance finds its roots in the traditions of concert dance, museum culture, and film festivals. Film festivals - from which we borrow the structure for programming screendance - boast a history of discrimination towards bodies of color, varied gender expressions, bodies of different abilities, and more. Through an exploration of the history and socio-cultural context of film festivals in the west and dialogue with curators and directors from a handful of screendance festivals across the United States, this piece will present a set of curatorial challenges particular to our field, the creative solutions being explored by presenters and champions of screendance, and a consideration of where the field falls short, so we can better mitigate issues of underrepresentation of marginalized groups in screendance spaces.
Highlights
Screendance finds its roots in the traditions of concert dance, museum culture, and film festivals
Many screendance festivals operating in the United States today have statements like the one above in their literature
While many screendance curators may be aware of issues of underrepresentation in media spaces and are working to embrace diversity in terms of the work they screen, the artists they support and the audiences they attract to their screenings, the challenges to producing inclusive creative spaces with respect to race and other identities are manifold
Summary
It is clear that creative approaches to inclusion and the mitigation of a white washed, heteronormative, ableist, ageist visual culture in festival submissions and festival programs require creative approaches to the work and that a variety of types of festivals – of different sizes, scope and focus are needed to continue moving the community toward a culture that is a departure from the norms and narratives found in dance, cinema, and museum spaces. Unlike museum or film studies, there is almost no formal education for curators of screendance. Cara Hagan is an artist, educator, scholar and community organizer. She currently serves on faculty as an Assistant Professor of Dance Studies at Appalachian State University. Ms Hagan is Director and Curator for ADF’s Movies by Movers, an annual, international festival celebrating the conversations between the moving body and the camera at the American Dance Festival
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
