the few cultural heritage celebrations that is recognized in some fashion across every part of the African Dias- pora. While the depth and breadth of these experiences transcend dance, by focusing on performance through play and the emotional release that we experience in dance, I was able to help students alleviate the emotional toll of the pandemic. Carnival parades are intensive, orchestrated productions, but they are also very much about the spon- taneity of dancing and playing music in the streets for the pure joy of per- formance. During class, I taught the Trinidadian concept of “pla- yin’ mas,” short for masquerade, to introduce the concept of perfor- mance as play. I then recreated that experience in the virtual classroom through games. The first game was Kahoot, an online learning plat- form where educators can create
programming is still concerning, and many of my students will con- tinue to engage in social media and video games as their primary forms of peer-to-peer interaction. How- ever, I’m grateful to know that my students will return to in-person instruction excited about dance, armed with a foundational knowl- edge of their heritage, greater self- worth, and better tools for self-ad- vocacy and self-expression. I am inspired by my students’ resilience and growth despite the tragic cir- cumstances and I am invigorated by how creativity allowed us to adapt and adopt new means of building connections through dance. Most of all, I am humbled to witness how the traditions of Afro-Diasporic cul- tural arts still carry truth and power through practice, even across the Internet. As a millennial dancer, art- ist, and educator, I believe it is my
to focus on learning the techniques, but to have fun, become familiar with the music, and let go of the pressure to be perfect. By changing the format of my Car- nival dance curriculum to focus on play, I was able to move away from technique toward expression. In doing so, my students were able to at least acknowledge their emotional well- being, if not process and articulate how they felt in a healthy way. This is critical because whether it’s our profes- sional workplaces, our students’ class- rooms, or our intimate, interpersonal relationships, we are constantly told to check our emotions like luggage at the proverbial door of success. During the pandemic, this was no longer sustain- able. Some of my students would sit in the same room for six hours, stress- ing about internet issues, their parents’ job security, their grandparents’ health and safety, while trying to learn Math
MORE THAN ANY OTHER PERFORMING ART FORM, Afro- diasporic dances come from traditions built within the safety and power of the drum circle, the roda, the cypher.
their own trivia games for students to practice and learn. This allowed me to introduce names, figures, places, and events without the stu- dents feeling like they’re being tested and pressured. The second game was “follow the leader,” a dance activity where I showcase a series of move- ments in sequence and ask the stu- dents to follow along to the best of their ability. These movements focus on both technique and process. I incorporate body isolations and footwork in quick succession to a wide range of Carnival music includ- ing New Orleans Second-Line, Trin- idadian Soca, and Brazilian Samba. The purpose is not for the students
privilege and responsibility to carry forward that knowledge into the 21st century in a way that bridges the gap between the drum circle and the cybersphere. EZRA MYLES is a Choreographer, Illustrator, Poet, Event Producer, and Arts Educator with over a decade of experience performing across the country and internationally. He is cur- rently utilizing his skills as a creative to support local arts organizations in the Bay Area focused on empowering youth and providing community wellness through the arts. He is a Production and Programs Coordinator at East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, one of the principal danc- ers and Co-producers for SambaFunk! Carnaval Explosion, and founder of MylesBeyond Enter- tainment, a production company that provides event, entertainment, and marketing services.
or English. By the time they came to dance, not only were they tired of Zoom, but there was no outlet for their stress. By taking intentional time to express our feelings at the beginning and end of every class, dancing spon- taneously, and removing the pressure to perform, they managed to learn both about the culture and the beauty of connecting through that culture despite being physically separated. As we cautiously return to in-per- son education, events, and experi- ences, I am sobered by the immense burden that the pandemic placed on our students, our systems, and our community. The uncertainty around the future of education and arts
SUMMER 2021 in dance 17
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u n i f y s t r e n g t h e n amp l i f y u n i f y s t r e n g t h e n a p l i f y
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