“Tango first emerged on the outskirts of the city, as the perfect poetic and musical medium for the outcast and marginalized to tell their stories. With this in mind, perhaps queer tango is just a new way of living up to the dance’s traditional roots.” – Atlas Obscura
Tag: 02.12.20
Why Black English Is America’s Most Important Dialect
“All along, while standard American English was busy convincing everyone that it was a superior dialect, it’s Black English that’s been a true cultural and linguistic force in contemporary society. Standard English is in fact deeply indebted to this so-called impoverished speech. It’s Black English that has left its mark on the popular culture we participate in, sliding seamlessly into the language of art, music, poetry, storytelling, and social media. Perhaps no other variety of speech has been quite so significant, innovative, and influential to the development of standard American English.” – JSTOR Daily
Why The Business Case For Diversity Doesn’t Work
Why doesn’t the business case work? Recent research suggests that what’s required for transformational action is a moral and legal case. The business case, because it is based in an economic logic, undermines moral arguments and weakens resolve to make anything other than incremental change. Indeed, experiments show that making the “business case for diversity” can increase bias against diverse groups while the legal case can inhibit bias and increase equitable behavior. – Fast Company
The Obama Portraits Have Become, In Essence, Pilgrimage Sites
“Stories of visitors praying or breaking down in tears before the portraits circulated on social media.” (Not unlike Jerusalem or Lourdes.) Says the director of the National Portrait Gallery in D.C., “It’s a form of what I call secular pilgrimage. Much like people go to Graceland or John Lennon’s grave — the response has that quality to it.” – Artnet
Another Coronavirus Catastrophe: China’s Cinema Box Office Down By 99.75%
That’s not a typo. The country’s total movie ticket revenue for the past 20 days is down from $1.52 billion for the same period last year to $3.9 million, and the movie industry there may need a government bailout. – The Hollywood Reporter
Playing Against The Web – How Art Criticism Is Evolving
The web favors certain virtues—wit, weirdness, bombast, and urgency—over others. In real time, we’ve witnessed critics watch their well-crafted essays sink to the internet’s depths like a stone. As our cameras rolled, a critic at one of the nation’s largest newspapers darted from one editor’s desk to another, trying to understand why a blog post was bombing and, eventually, with a moving show of emotion, broke down. – ARTnews
Scottish Conservatory Suspends Teachers For “Bullying” Culture In Course Others Call Visionary
The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland has vowed to act after an independent review of one of its leading degree programmes highlighted allegations of “bullying, favouritism and misuse of authority”. – The Scotsman
Meet Seattle Opera’s Scholar In Residence, First Of Her Kind In The U.S.
“As scholar in residence, [Naomi] André acts as an adviser to help Seattle Opera become more inclusive, both for audiences and behind the scenes. … Her most visible role involves a series of free, public community conversations that invite audiences to question problematic social themes and portrayals of marginalized communities in opera while appreciating the artistic elements that continue to hold up.” – The Seattle Times
How Bad Is California’s New Freelance Law For Performers? Let Them Tell You
“To learn more about AB5’s effect on artists, The Times asked readers to write in. We received more than 120 responses from artists across California — jazz and classical musicians, directors of arts nonprofits, magicians, costume designers, actors, a burlesque dancer and freelance food stylist, among others.” – Los Angeles Times
Making The Leap From Dance Student To Professional Less Daunting
“For generations, dancers have been thrust into professional life at a young age without much preparation or tools, sinking or swimming on their limited industry know-how. Today, some independent programs are presenting unique models that bridge the gap between student and professional life through networking, performance opportunities and more.” Haley Hilton surveys those programs. – Dance Magazine