INTERMISSION
Welcome to “Intermission”, a blog by Ishami Dance Company. Through “Intermission”, we hope to use the medium of writing to engage critically and thoughtfully with our art, histories, and unique perspectives. We aim to spark conversations, question, and encourage dialogue surrounding our diverse relationships with our artistry and culture, and we hope you will pause and ponder our words — and enter into these conversations yourself.
Transcending tradition, beckoning backlash: How and why did “fusion” become so politically charged?
It was only a few years ago when a teacher of mine told me that bringing together my training in classical and contemporary dance forms would taint my reputation and ruin any prospects of a career in dance. It was not long after that when one of my peers took five minutes out of a rehearsal to berate me for utilizing mudra-inspired hand movements in a piece that I was wearing shoes while dancing. It was only days later that it seemed my TikTok feed was filled with angry internet users berating dancers for pursuing untraditional hybrid forms of movement.