Scope and Contents "Melvin Deal reflects on his work performing, choreographing, managing, and promoting African dance, which he has been involved in for over half a century. He speaks about how when he started dancing it was generally understood that you had to do ballet, if you wanted to be successful. But he was drawn to African dance and decided to follow that desire. At the time, decolonization was happening in Africa. Part of his work was fighting stereotypes about Africa. He reflects that at the time...

Abstract Norberto Borja describes the early years when his family migrated from Colombia and lived on Ontario Road in Adams Morgan. Borja describes the neighborhood in the 1970’s: full of Latino families who knew each other. He describes his first job working at the SED Center, located next to his house. Borja first got involved in the D C Latino Festival in the early years when it was held on Colombia Rd. He describes how his young Colombian group of drummers was asked to perform in the Festival. By...

Abstract Peter Redgrave talks about being born outside of London and starting to move around at the age 6, as his family travels to the United States, following his father’s hotel work. Peter’s parents separated a few years later, which creates a shift in the family dynamic. Peter’s mother works and goes to law school, while Peter and his brother get into skateboarding and building a community, through zine-making and traveling to new skating locations around the country. Peter develops his interest...

Scope and Contents

The Oral History of DanceAfrica, D.C. contains six audio interviews conducted by Sarah Greenbaum and Jonathan Hsu in 2018. Indexes and transcripts are included for all interviews.

Scope and Contents

This series is the second grant for Oral History of DanceAfrica, D.C. DanceAfrica is a celebration of dance forms of the African Diaspora and is held annually in Washington, D.C., New York, New York, and Chicago, Illinois. The festival includes performance, films, master classes, educational programming, and a bazaar. This oral history project features six interviews with members of the DanceAfrica, D.C. elders’ council.

Scope and Contents In this oral history Sylvia Soumah reflects on her young life growing up in a Cincinnati, Ohio housing project, falling in love with dance, and building her career in dance in Washington, D.C. In Cincinnati she attended a performing arts high school, upon graduation she worked at a German restaurant, until, at age 20, she left for Washington D.C. While waitressing in Adams Morgan, she began dancing, initially dancing mostly modern and jazz. She talks about discovering African styles of dance...

Abstract

Yolanda Lee discusses the Fort Totten neighborhood, the Teenarama dance show, attending Catholic schools, the 1968 Riots and the teachers who had an impact on her.

Abstract

Yolanda Lee discusses the Fort Totten neighborhood, the Teenarama dance show, attending Catholic schools, the 1968 Riots and the teachers who had an impact on her.