FEMALE REPORTER: A carload of white boys..
with their faces blackened–
MALE REPORTER: The teacher had discussed the costume meant to look like African American–
FEMALE REPORTER: Those costumes with their faces painted black–
CLAY: Most of us get that this is NOT okay..
JESSIE: Of course, this is an extreme example of racism..
but, fact is, many of us experience
AND commit micro-aggressions every day without realizing it.
JOJO: Bye Becky!
Thanks for yoga!
Ohh SOUL!
[hits Woah] Yoo what's up Soul!
[throws up gang signs] How's the 313~??
Ungh!
CLAY: You've probably offended someone without realizing it too..
BUT before you click out of this video
because yes, it can be a VERY uncomfortable topic,
I promise you that watching through this video
will transform you into a better dancer
AND a better person for the community that you love.
JESSIE: And obviously, culture and authenticity really matter to STEEZY,
and so we brought in our friends Jojo and Soul
to talk about 3 things that you need to know about dance culture!
What up everybody! It's your boy Soul,
representing Detroit, Michigan
SoulBotics Krew,
God Children of Soul,
and of course,
one of the Instructors and Culture Advisors on STEEZY.
What's up everybody, my name is Jojo Diggs,
I'm super grateful to be here
coming from the DMV area
and also an Instructor and Cultural Advisor on STEEZY
so let's go..!
SOUL: Ayee!
SOUL: Number one!
So we have cultural appropriation versus appreciation
JOJO: What is that?
So, cultural appropriation is anything that takes something from another culture
out of context and uses it for their own personal gain.
SOUL: For example, you have modern day Blackface,
which is imitating black people during..
big events–
big MEGA events..
We have fashion,
such as like do-rags..
uh, Dashiki's..
Cornrows..
hand gestures..
or idiosyncrasies,
y'know, such as like throwing up gang signs..
West Coast signs and you're not from the West Coast..
anything that's basically not from YOUR particular culture, right–
that can result into cultural appropriation..
JOJO: And I think also,
anytime you're teaching a Hip Hop class
or workshop without it having to really do with that Hip Hop culture.
For example, teaching to non Hip Hop music..
SOUL: Yes.. JOJO: Or making up style descriptions such as like..
"Hip Hop Heels"–
the only thing that should be applied to the words "Hip Hop" should be
the level– like beginner, intermediate, advanced, and so on..
So, why does this matter?
Well, street dance is a culture,
it's not a costume..
and, you can't pretend to have a lived experience..
SOUL: So, you probably have heard this quote before,
"People love black culture, but not black people."
JOJO: Here's what you should do..
Definitely the culture is meant to be shared
and it HAS to be a mutual understanding..
Of course, we want you to
LOVE the culture,
we want you to LOVE Hip Hop,
we want you to LOVE street dance..
but the WAY that you love it is really, really important.
If that culture that you love is saying
that the way that you're loving it is oppressive,
but you're putting your foot down about that,
then that's not really loving it–
that's making it about you and not the culture.
SOUL: So, the question is..
not CAN you,
but should you? JOJO: Mhm..
SOUL: So SHOULD you..?
have a sense of responsibility?
SHOULD you have awareness for this culture?
SHOULD you have..
love for not only yourself,
but also love those who are IN the culture as well
that you actually say that you love?
JOJO: So the second thing that is really important to know is that
you need to learn from the CULTURE and not just the classroom.
If you're ONLY entering
studios and classrooms..
it's very valuable, but
it's probably gonna only craft you
as a very TECHNICALLY strong dancer.
A really, really good analogy I would say is
the difference between studying a language
through Rosetta Stone or..
through a class versus going to that country..
understanding..
HOW the people actually speak now,
how they THINK and how they..
interact with one another..
SOUL: Going a little bit more deeper as well is like
looking at the perspectives from culture..
HOW that pertains to dance and also looking at the studio aspect of it..
Uh, one of the things that you kind of lose is..
how culture EMBODIES..
you know– the actual ESSENCE..
of.. why dancers created it the way that it was.
So it's very, very important
to YOU as a dancer, as an artist,
to know that..
JOJO: Right, and it allows you to have
a really COMPLETE freedom..
It's not this watered-down version..
You can't understand where something is going if you don't know where it came from.
So, at this point you're probably wondering like
"Okaaay sooo what do I do..?"
SOUL: Alright, so it's a great question!
[Jojo laughs] SOUL: I'm glad you asked that!
[laughs]
SOUL: So some things that YOU can do that will then
FURTHER help you inside of this culture
is One,
get out of the mirror.
Second, go to parties!
Be social–
if you DO NOT have parties or
maybe in your community,
it's not very social or there's not much,
you might have to create it yourself!
That's totally okay as well.
Third, support local events and.. artists!
Number Four,
what you have to think about is
when you're actually benefitting and also promoting inside of a culture,
you're then keeping it alive.
It's bigger than yourself!
JOJO: Last, but definitely not least..
we're gonna talk about a pretty common phrase called Culture Vulture..
What is that?
That is basically when someone is benefitting from making money off of
you know, just profiting from another group's culture
without cultural respect and integrity.
Non-black people can definitely profit from
you know– black culture.. SOUL: Totally, totally.
JOJO: Um, but it's really about,
you know, BIG picture thinking–
giving back in some way. SOUL: Yep.
JOJO: I'm- I'm definitely someone who has..
y'know, really BUILT my whole life around dance..
SOUL: Yeah..
JOJO: Um, so I try to give back by studying my innate racism..
Um, trying to dismantle those kinds of societal constructs..
Building community-building platforms,
speaking to my community,
doing, you know, pro bono work and things like that..
SOUL: Like you have to think about YOUR impact as an individual and
HOW that's going to impact other people inside of
your space, for one– like your intimate space
and also your space on a professional level.
If you CAN have that type of power or you are in that position..
um.. as a–
as a leader in your community..
just be aware of like, how can I help
put people of color
not on a pedestal per se,
but just help them get ahead more
because we are.. marginalized.
JOJO: And I– you know I think just overall like
it's definitely still about doing your thing.
Love what you do and do it well,
but keeping your principles at the forefront
and I geniunely always use STEEZY as a really solid example.
Um, it's a wonderful, wonderful
structure for understanding that yes, of course this is a business,
but INTEGRITY has to be right there SOUL: Yeah..
JOJO: asking questions for the things that,
you know..
that you might not know is totally healthy and wonderful.
SOUL: [inaudible] JOJO: And then of course like,
if you ARE a Culture Vulture, you're not gonna make it very far..
people are gonna see it..
SOUL: It never happens!
JOJO: Yeah.. SOUL: I've never once met any–
ANY Culture Vulture that actually succeeded.
JOJO: Yeah.
SOUL: So.. with power comes great responsibility.
YOU can be the change that you seek.
JOJO: Yes, and every time that you put yourself out there,
it is totally normal that you're going to make mistakes..
SOUL: Yes.. JOJO: The key is to LISTEN
and take the feedback and continue to grow
FROM that love that you have for your dance
and not just for yourself..
The community will change
one individual at a time..
SOUL: And change..
starts with "you"..
not a "C"..
SOUL: AhHAA–
YAyayaya..
JESSIE: Now, the topics in this video are complexed and nuanced..
We'd like you to treat this as an introduction to those ideas.
We're doing our best to share ALL perspectives,
so we want to give a HUGE thank you to Jojo and Soul
for sharing theirs.
And, if there's anything that YOU want to add to the conversation,
please do!
We WANT to talk to OG's,
we WANT to talk to new dancers who are confused,
we WANT to talk to people that can enlighten and
even correct us!
We DON'T have all the answers and
really, not ONE person out there does, but
I believe that, together, we can start stitching the story together..
Thank you so much for watching!
The comments are open..
and please share this with your friends
and I will see you next week!