Google Arts & Culture Is Spotlighting Dance for Black History Month
Raise your hand if you’ve ever gotten sucked down an informational rabbit hole on the internet. (Come on, we know it’s not just us.) Now, allow us to direct you to this new project from Google Arts & Culture. To celebrate Black History Month, they’ve put together a newly curated collection of images, videos and stories that spotlights black history and culture in America specifically through the lens of dance—and it’s pretty much our new favorite way to pass the time online.
Google partnered with organizations like Dance Theatre of Harlem, A.I.M, Step Afrika! and Camille A. Brown & Dancers to put together online exhibits comprising stories, images and videos. The result is dozens of multimedia trips through black dance history—like the Harlem roots of the Lindy hop or the founding of DTH—and a look at the work being done by a plethora of contemporary artists, including Kyle Abraham, Brown and Reggie Wilson. Outreach efforts to impact future generations of dancers of color, such as American Ballet Theatre‘s Project Plié and Step Afrika!’s summer camp, are also highlighted.
The collection touches on a multitude of topics—everything from literature to the loss of local radio stations, police brutality to the spiritual traditions of the African Diaspora—always using dance as a leaping-off point. It might not be the deepest dive into these particular ideas or histories, but we love how easily digestible the information is for the casual reader, as well as the breadth of the work showcased. And if you get inspired to learn more about any of the artists or organizations featured, there’s a handy search engine right there.
