SLAMDANCE relishes in the absurdity of the stories we tell to explain Black people’s participation in their own culture. In sound, video, and performance, the project considers various attempts at defining Afropunk, traces the social shape of the pit, and advocates for the radical possibilities of vastly over and under-explaining the historical origins Black punks.
“If I was black and normal I’d still get fucked with, so I might as well do what I want to do and just take my chances.”
-Marlon Whitfield, Another State of Mind (1984)
SLAMDANCE garage, 2025
The Bushwick Starr
produced in association with Oye Group
created and performed by Ian Andrew Askew
movement direction by Justin Allen
production design by Cheyanne Williams
sound design by Anthony Sertel Dean
lighting design by Itohan Edoloyi
work-in-progress showing (2021) presented by Towards A New Collectivity: The Performing Garage in partnership with Kaneza Schaal // supported, in part, by a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant // design by Cheyanne Williams and Gabriele Preston // additional support from David Glista, Andres Abenante, and Camila Ortiz. // Photos by David Glista
SLAMDANCE TV, 2021
The Kitchen OnScreen
curated by Alison Burstein
SLAMDANCE basement, 2019
Arts @ 29 Garden
design by Gabriele Presto // support from James Stanley and Andrew Gitchel // photos by Eva Rosenfeld