Aesthetics,andBeauty.PDF

Topoi (2005) 24:93–102 Springer 2005 DOI 10.1007/s11245-004-4165-7 African American Dance - Philosophy, Aesthetics, and ‘Beauty’ Thomas F. DeFrantz ABSTRACT: This essay considers the recuperation of ‘‘beauty’’ as American dance. I argue that black performance in a productive critical strategy in discussions of African American general, and African American concert dance in dance. I argue that black performance in general, and African particular, seek to create aesthetic sites that allow American concert dance in particular, seeks to create aesthetic sites that allow black Americans to participate in discourses of black Americans to participate in discourses of rec- recognition and appreciation to include concepts of ‘‘beauty.’’ In ognition and appreciation to include concepts of this, I suggest that ‘‘beauty’’ may indeed produce social change for ‘beauty’. In this, I suggest that ‘beauty’ may indeed its attendant audiences. I also propose that interrogating the no- produce social change for its attendant audiences. I tion of ‘‘beauty’’ may allow for social change among audiences also propose that interrogating the notion of ‘beauty’ that include dance theorists and philosophers. Through a case- may allow for social change among audiences that study consideration of work by three African American chore- ographers, Donald Byrd (b. 1949), Ulysses Dove (1947 – 1996), include dance theorists and philosophers. Through a and Abdel Salaam (b. 1949