Who: Dancers Amplified, a global alliance of dance professionals in activism
What: Launch of Global Active Practices Document
When: July 2021
Where: Online – dancersamplified.com
July 2021— Dancers Amplified has published its most determined endeavor yet — a living document created through research and data collection that includes methods of resonating action for diversity, equity, inclusion and access.
Dancers Amplified, a global alliance of dance professionals in activism, is the first to bring dancers in activism together on a worldwide scale —from the Netherlands to Australia to Brazil to the US— giving a collective voice to dancers who have historically been silenced.
The Global Active Practices Document is the result of months of research, writing, reviewing, countless Zoom calls, Google documents, and the lived experiences of dance artists from around the world. As artists who have endured microaggressions, blatant racism, physical harm, and mental and emotional trauma, Dancers Amplified believes these practices can serve as a catalyst for lasting and pervasive social, cultural, and aesthetic shifts.
Recognizing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach in developing anti-racist policies, Dancers Amplified’s comprehensive diversity, equity, inclusion, access and education initiatives can be applied to dance organizations across all scales and sectors. Dancers Amplified believes that every person at every level has an integral role to play in the long-term commitment to anti-racism, cultural equity, and liberative justice in the arts, the dance field, and extended communities.
The alliance’s plans for the future are empowered by community engagement and leadership interactions. In coordination with partner organizations, Dancers Amplified plans to facilitate community reviews to engage peers in collective writing and jam sessions, which will yield new addendums and initiatives to the Global Active Practices. Dancers Amplified is committed to working with organizations to develop, adapt and implement these practices, while keeping in mind variations in capability and boundaries.
“We must all work together to reject the default of exclusion that is currently prevalent within our industry and create a truly equitable environment that welcomes and celebrates the beautifully diverse communities that we aim to unite and enrich.”
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ABOUT DANCERS AMPLIFIED
Dancers Amplified is a global alliance of dancers activating their voices to ignite and sustain a shift away from the harmful, divisive, and racist cultures that have long permeated the dance industry. Across multiple platforms, Dancers Amplified centers marginalized perspectives, empowers artists who have felt silenced, and spotlights individuals, projects, and organizations working towards social justice in dance. Through fiscal sponsorship by the International Association of Blacks in Dance, Dancers Amplified offers support— in resources and funding— towards keeping industry leaders and dance institutions accountable in taking genuine steps towards equity, diversity, inclusion, and access.
CONTACT marketing@dancersamplified.com