Urban Bush Women

Urban Bushwomen is a renowned dance company that combines dance, activism, and social justice. Founded in 1984, it uses dance as a platform for cultural expression and social change. The company incorporates African American and African diaspora traditions in its performances, exploring themes of identity, culture, and social justice. Urban Bushwomen's performances aim to challenge norms, address social issues, and promote awareness of systematic injustices. They engage in community outreach efforts, workshops, and educational programs to bring dance and discussions surrounding social justice directly to communities. Through their performances, Urban Bushwomen confront uncomfortable realities and empower marginalized individuals to reclaim their stories and inspire change. Their work has expanded the boundaries of dance as an art form and serves as a powerful example of the potential of dance to create remarkable impact. Activism Through Dance, Exploring the Impact of Urban Bushwomen, Dance as a Tool for Social Change, by Mackenzie Bullock Introduction Urban Bushwomen, UBW, is a distinguished dance company that was founded by J. Willa J. Zullar. It is based in Brooklyn, New York, but is internationally known for its jaw-dropping combination of dance, activism, and social justice. It is a non-profit dance company that has a goal of utilizing dance for cultural expression and social change. UBW has been a trailblazer in confronting problems affecting African American and African dysphoria communities. Overview of Urban Bushwomen Urban Bushwomen was founded in 1984 by well-established choreographer and dancer, J. Willa J. Zullar. J. Willa wanted to use her choreographies as a powerful message for social change. She created UBW as a measure of examining issues of identity, culture, and social justice. UBW is headquartered in Brooklyn, New York, where it has very diverse and uplifted surroundings to gain more inspiration from the city's rich cultural tapestry. UBW has always had the idea that dance can make people have very deep and meaningful conversations that will transform into a constructive transformation. UBW has a goal of using their performances, workshops, and community outreach initiatives as a form of activism that can address social issues. Genre and Style Urban Bushwomen presents a distinguishing blend of contemporary dance entwined with influences of African American and African dysphoria traditions. UBW's movements are filled with affluity and expressive storytelling. UBW uses inspiration from jazz, blues, African dance, and hip-hop. By incorporating all these diverse influences, UBW's performances reflect a multi-faceted exploration of cultural identity, heritage, and resilience. One of UBW's main features is that their ability to combine dance, music, and storytelling to create a really intricate performance. They are trying to make the choreography both rigorous and emotionally resonant for the audience. UBW's performances eliminate the boundaries of traditional dance, allowing for the audience to really gain a new and immersive experience. Activism Through Dance Urban Bushwomen uses their performance as a powerful form of activism, employing dance as a platform to focus on pressuring social issues, challenging norms, and activate for change. UBW creates a profound impact on the public of their performances, pushing conversations in controversial topics and promote awareness of systematic injustices. UBW uses activism from a complex perspective, integrating dance, music, and storytelling to induce emotional ideas and responses. UBW works with many different people to make performances that amplify diminished voices and activate for social equality. UBW focuses their work on categories of identity, race, gender, and community to foster impact on those particular areas. Examples of Activism Hair and Other Stories There is a performance by Urban Bushwomen that dives into the multi-phase dynamics of hair, beauty standards, and identity within the African American experience. The performance shows the significance of hair as a symbol of cultural pride, resilience, and self-expression while also focusing on the societal pressures and stereotypes associated with black hair. Walking the Train There is a performance that gives recognition to the jazz musician John Coltrane. Through this performance, UBW explores Coltrane's musical legacy and its relation to social justice movements. It demonstrates the ideas of struggles for racial equality and liberation. Promoting Awareness UBW sees how dance can create social change and actively engages in community outreach efforts, workshops, and educational programs. These can serve to bring dance and discussions surrounding social justice directly to communities, creating a sense of empowerment and exclusivity. UBW organizes a wide range of community engagement initiatives, including dance workshops, lectures, and residencies aimed at diverse audiences across the age groups and backgrounds. UBW collaborates with social justice organizations and advocacy groups by partnering with organizations working with issues UBW can give their performance to reach many people. Creating Change The Urban Bushwomen has made their own significant role in creating change for our society. Just through their movements of dance, they have been able to capture the emotive and communicative power of dance to confront systematic injustices and inspire action. They serve as a motivation for dialogue, empathy, and reflection in challenging audiences to confront uncomfortable situations that are happening in modern times. Through their storytelling, they are able to give their audience the experience of confronting realities. By focusing on the experiences of suppressed individuals, UBW empowers them to reclaim their stories and activate for change. UBW is a very important group to create so much impact in our communities. Importance of Urban Bushwomen's Work UBW has expanded the boundaries of dance as an art form, pushing the idea of what dance can do for activism as a whole. Through their performances, UBW has challenged traditional thoughts of dance itself and has been a legendary example of how one's movements can create social change. They have inspired artists and activists in our modern times to push their abilities to create new change. UBW has had an amazing impact on marginalized communities by strengthening societal bonds. UBW has made people think of the failures of our system and activate for social injustice equality. This is video example 1, this is video example 2, visual aid 1, visual aid 2, and visual aid 3. In conclusion, in all, UBW have been a profound group of individuals who use dance as a tool for activism and social change, promote awareness, and create change. UBW's work serves as a powerful example of the potential of dance to create remarkable impact. What do you think about the Urban Bushwomen's performance and impact on activism as a whole? Personal Connection I was drawn to Urban Bushwomen's unique approach to dance. Throughout researching Urban Bushwomen, I gained a greater appreciation for the power of dance itself and potential to create impactful change in this world. I really value the way of using dance to create a profound impact on society. Thank you.