#WeAllDeserveArts: Involvement in Arts Education Leads to Character Evolution
Throughout the 10 years of my teaching career, I have purposed to produce critical thinking, self-affirmed, informed, and productive citizens of society using dance and arts education as the foundation. A student’s character is the byproduct of the deeper connection found beyond the stage and the technique when involved in the Arts.
“Artist Allyship: What Type of Ally are You?”
Performative allyship is a term used in diversity, equity, and inclusion work to define actions and rhetoric about a particular cause that satisfies the person’s ego. In other words, this person is engaging in activities that make them feel better about their role in the fight against injustice but is not sufficient enough to have a lasting impact.
So what can we do as dancers, as artists, to keep moving forward in the fight against injustice? For starters, we can identify what type of ally we are. I have observed most of my non-BIPOC dancer friends and colleagues fall into the 4 categories below: The Performer, The Patron, The Protégé, & The Pirate.