About the Book
This book is a groundbreaking exploration of black masculinity and sexual passing in American contemporary dance.
Based on ethnographic fieldwork in New York City, the book features keen observations and in-depth interviews with acclaimed dancer-choreographers Desmond Richardson and Dwight Rhoden Co-Artistic Directors of Complexions Contemporary Ballet and Ronald K. Brown, Artistic Director of Evidence. Black Queer Dance examines one of the most visible crucibles for masculinity—the male dancer—and illuminates the contradictory and conditional acceptance of black gay men’s contributions to American modern dance. The book questions the politics of "coming out" and situates a new framework of "doing out" for understanding marginalized black LGBTQ people in the 20th and 21st century. Narratives of black queer male dancers’ performance of identity reveals the challenges posed navigating strategic gender performances in a purportedly post-gay and post-race American culture. Broomfield demonstrates how the experiences of black queer, gender nonconforming, and nonbinary men expose the illusions of all masculine gender performances. Drawing on masculinity studies, dance studies, critical race and performance theory, and queer studies Black Queer Dance implicates the author’s embodied history, autoethnography, memoir and poetry that shines light on how black queer men offer an expansive vision of masculinity.
This book will be a vital read for graduate and undergraduate students within dance and performance studies.
Table of Contents:
Acknowledgements
Prologue
Introduction
Chapter 1. Passing for Almost Straight and Strategic Performances of Masculinity
Chapter 2. Breaking the Fourth Wall of Gender
Chapter 3. Just Like a Girl
Chapter 4. “Carrying On” Through the Silence: Alvin Ailey’s Black Queer Legacy
Chapter 5. Policing Masculinity: What Gender Nonconformity Can Teach Us in the Classroom
Epilogue
Index
About the Author :
Mark Broomfield, PhD, MFA, Associate Professor of English, and the Founder and Director of Performance as Social Change at SUNY Geneseo, is an award-winning scholar and artist with publications in the areas of race, gender, sexuality, dance, and ethnography. Broomfield was born in London, England to Jamaican parents who emigrated to the Bronx, New York.
Mark Broomfield, PhD, MFA, Associate Professor of English, and the Founder and Director of Performance as Social Change at SUNY Geneseo, is an award-winning scholar and artist with publications in the areas of race, gender, sexuality, dance, and ethnography. Broomfield was born in London, England to Jamaican parents who emigrated to the Bronx, New York.
Review :
''Black Queer Dance is a meticulous exploration into the lives of black male dancers. With vibrant narratives, Broomfield’s scholarship allows the black queer dance experience to shine. This book is the light. I can’t wait to see how powerful the next generation of dancers become after reading this book.''
Harper Watters, Principal Dancer, Houston Ballet
“Black Queer Dance is the book that we didn’t realize we needed. Deftly navigating the terrain of lived experience, queer theory, and masculinity studies, Broomfield introduces a framework to help us think about gender performativity beyond received cultural binaries that reduce queer black men to mere spectacle. To riff on a popular black colloquialism, he clearly understood the assignment.“
David Ikard, Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies, Vanderbilt University
'Mark Broomfield’s Black Queer Dance: Gay Men and the Politics of Passing for Almost Straight stands as a seminal contribution to the otherwise limited discourse on masculinity in dance, particularly from the perspectives of queer Black male dance artists. Black Queer Dance is invaluable for its authentic voice and poignant explorations, offering readers a rare view into the diverse lives and struggles faced by queer Black men in the dance community.
Broomfield's text not only enriches our understanding of dance and masculinity but also serves as a beacon for those seeking to comprehend the layered realities of intersectional identities. This work is both a critical academic resource and a heartfelt testament to the resilience and creativity of queer Black male dance artists.'
James Frazier, EdD, MFA, Dean of Fine Arts, College of Fine Arts, Florida State University
'Mark Broomfield's Black Queer Dance: Gay Men and the Politics of Passing for Almost Straight is both an academic text and a memoir. Through theory, personal stories, and dialogues with leaders in the field, Broomfield amplifies the voices of a frequently seen but seldom heard figure. By sharing these powerful stories, Broomfield provides Black queer men dancers with the language to articulate their experiences and the agency to fully exist and thrive in their authenticity both on stage and off. The book serves as a mirror, compelling readers to confront complex questions about race, gender performance, and sexuality. Broomfield's work is a significant contribution to the ongoing discourse about the evolution of Black masculinity.'
Johnnie Ray Kornegay, III - Deputy Director for Strategy and Impact, Counter Narrative Project (CNP)
''Black Queer Dance is a meticulous exploration into the lives of black male dancers. With vibrant narratives, Broomfield’s scholarship allows the black queer dance experience to shine. This book is the light. I can’t wait to see how powerful the next generation of dancers become after reading this book.''
Harper Watters, Principal Dancer, Houston Ballet
“Black Queer Dance is the book that we didn’t realize we needed. Deftly navigating the terrain of lived experience, queer theory, and masculinity studies, Broomfield introduces a framework to help us think about gender performativity beyond received cultural binaries that reduce queer black men to mere spectacle. To riff on a popular black colloquialism, he clearly understood the assignment.“
David Ikard, Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies, Vanderbilt University
'Mark Broomfield’s Black Queer Dance: Gay Men and the Politics of Passing for Almost Straight stands as a seminal contribution to the otherwise limited discourse on masculinity in dance, particularly from the perspectives of queer Black male dance artists. Black Queer Dance is invaluable for its authentic voice and poignant explorations, offering readers a rare view into the diverse lives and struggles faced by queer Black men in the dance community.
Broomfield's text not only enriches our understanding of dance and masculinity but also serves as a beacon for those seeking to comprehend the layered realities of intersectional identities. This work is both a critical academic resource and a heartfelt testament to the resilience and creativity of queer Black male dance artists.'
James Frazier, EdD, MFA, Dean of Fine Arts, College of Fine Arts, Florida State University
'Mark Broomfield's Black Queer Dance: Gay Men and the Politics of Passing for Almost Straight is both an academic text and a memoir. Through theory, personal stories, and dialogues with leaders in the field, Broomfield amplifies the voices of a frequently seen but seldom heard figure. By sharing these powerful stories, Broomfield provides Black queer men dancers with the language to articulate their experiences and the agency to fully exist and thrive in their authenticity both on stage and off. The book serves as a mirror, compelling readers to confront complex questions about race, gender performance, and sexuality. Broomfield's work is a significant contribution to the ongoing discourse about the evolution of Black masculinity.'
Johnnie Ray Kornegay, III - Deputy Director for Strategy and Impact, Counter Narrative Project (CNP)
