Abstract
The objective of this article is to develop an ontology of twerk that situates it within Black Atlantic choreographic modalities, including those of Afro-Diasporic religions. As a corrective to the pervasive stereotyping and appropriation of twerk, I place its normative performance within the cultural space of contemporary Black New Orleans. I furnish an overview of temporally proximate regional variations in the United States and locate its more remote antecedents in the participatory dances documented on North American plantations. Twerk also shares various morphological and thematic similarities with Caribbean and Latin American movement traditions that have promoted female sexual, economic, and political freedom. Of these, I take into special account Brazilian, Cuban, and Haitian dances sacred to Afro-Diasporic deities venerated for giving life and bearing witness to death. I conclude that twerk should be understood properly as part of a family of Black Atlantic dances that emerged from shared histories of domination.
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 callMore From: African and Black Diaspora: An International Journal
Disclaimer: 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.
