Framing Statement

Philosophy and Performance

My blog explores the relationship between performer and role along with the ethics of preserving and performing outdated classical works. The starting point for my research was the discourse surrounding Misty Copeland’s 2019 Instagram post condemning the Mariinsky Ballet’s use of black face in La Bayadère (Copeland, 2019). The post, the comment section, and the reporting that followed were a prime case study for examining how globalization and increased speed and access to information impacts the audience and reach of a performance. People in the United States will know about a performance in Russia the instant someone posts about it online, leading to immediate large-scale conversations about the content. This is not limited to the dance world either, which increases the significance of debates like this instance (Marshall, 2019).

I consulted Final Bow for Yellowface by Phil Chan for a modern perspective on ethical performance practices. Chan’s philosophy focuses on the intention versus impact of an artistic choice. Even if performing in blackface in Russia was not intended to be racist, the impact on Black dancers around the world is harmful and offensive. For another perspective, I reflected on an experience I had in Accra, Ghana learning a dance of resistance against British colonialism. I recalled my feelings in the moment while using Chan’s ideas about the use of caricature to comment on imperial power dynamics. Additionally, I framed the arguments surrounding identity politics and race relations through an American historical perspective with reference to the global influence of the Transatlantic Slave Trade.