"Wade In The Water" Blog

After watching the performance of "Wade In The Water", performed by the Alvin Ailey Dance Troupe I recognized many forms of black dance, and some that are described by Thompson and Malone. In the beginning of the performance it reminded me of almost a ballet. The dancers moved slow and they were mostly synchronized and very elegant looking. But as the "Wade In The Water" song came on I thought the dancers started acting out a story in the form of a dance. I thought as the music changed to more upbeat and fast, the dancers did the same. It was like a burst of energy from the ballet part of the dance to the story part of the performance. I thought that it was really interesting how they used props in their performance, such as the umbrella the women were holding, the blue sheet for the water, and the long flag like poles that the men held. This made the dance more story like and their was no need for words. The reading says that black dance is a type of freedom and I think that the "Wade In The Water" performers show that very well. The men flowed very well with the women and made it interesting to watch their bodies move together throughout the dance.

-Mara H.