Appropriation of African-American Dance

Have you ever had the feeling that you are living in history as it repeats itself? Particularly in the dance arena, have you seen things appear and reappear in social dance formations? No matter how culturally rich the African-American experience is, it is marked by oppressive attempts by white people to determine the context of every cultural aspect. Because of this, African-Americans must regulate what mainstream culture uses from the experience. The African-American experience is one that cannot afford to have anything taken from it. This utilization of African-American culture is the foundation on which appropriation is based. This paper is the author’s efforts to reclaim an indigenous part of African-American culture, dance and the struggle with issues of cultural expression in the United States