What's On: How True African Dance Was Corrupted Into Porn (Lecture)

By Nzingha - Lecture 26 
Saturday, March 28, 2015 from 3:00 PM to 7:00 PM (GMT)

Portland hall Lecture room, Lower ground
University of Westminster
4-12 Little Titchfield Street
W1W 7UW London
United Kingdom

 “African dance and culture has often been appropriated by Europeans and divorced from its roots. This presentation aims to give a general background to African dance and show how movements/styles were borrowed or imitated by various European cultures.Those cultures would then re-name and take credit for the movements or totally pervert them. We will also deal with sexism and racism in the music/fashion and dance business.

The presentation will cover:

A selection of African civilisations pre or co-existing European invasion

Original purpose of African dance

Weddings, fertility, birthdays, rites of passage

Appropriate time and season of dance

Appropriate African dress for dance

Dance as politics. European censorship and disgust

Popular dances in the West that have African origins/elements

African beats in the Top Ten but not called African

Zouk, Salsa, Hip Hop, Ventilator,Capoeira,Azonto,Twerking, Kompa

Corruption of image and values

Queen Nzinga was an African Queen who fought against the European invasion of southern Africa (Congo/Angola). The Queen Nzinga lecture series will feature African female academics / holders of expert knowledge, speaking on topics of their choice on a monthly basis. The Nzinga lecture series will provide a regular platform for women of African descent to highlight important issues in an academic setting. As a result of these lectures a Black Women in Academia Support Group has been set up.

To see previous Queen Nzingha lectures, visit the Black History Walk Youtube Channel 

Black History Walks.co.uk also offers guided Walking Tours of London to include its African history which goes back 3500 years. Walks take place in St Pauls/Bank, Docklands, Soho, Trafalgar Square, Elephant & Castle and Notting Hill.

We also offer films, talks and workshops on a variety of related topics every month all year long to complement the walks.

For tickets and more info please click here

Shay x