The Dance: The History of American Minstrelsy is an American

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 stage play written and directed by Aaron White

Aaron White

Aaron White is an NAACP Theater Award-winning American playwright, his most notable work being The Dance: The History of American Minstrelsy, which he wrote with Jason Christopher White . He also an independent music producer, as the owner and founder of In Tha Cut Productions.He graduated from St...

 and Jason Christopher White

Jason Christopher White

Jason Christophe White is an NAACP Theater Award-winning American playwright, his most notable work being The Dance: The History of American Minstrelsy, which he co-directed with Aaron White . He is also the co-owner of In Tha Cut Productions.He is a graduate of The California Institute of the...

, which opened in 2005. The play follows two characters as they relay the history of American Minstrelsy, as both main characters perform in blackface

Blackface

Blackface is a form of theatrical makeup used in minstrel shows, and later vaudeville, in which performers create a stereotyped caricature of a black person. The practice gained popularity during the 19th century and contributed to the proliferation of stereotypes such as the "happy-go-lucky darky...

.

Synopsis

The Dance is an educational play based upon the history of American Minstrelsy. This history is conveyed to the audience, but from the perspectives of two stock minstrel clowns, who perform this history as a historic minstrel production. Using authentic past and present day images, and with a text developed from 6 years of research, the audience ends up making comparisons between past-day minstrelsy, and the lingering perceptions that still exist today.

Awards and Critical Response

Since the premiere of the play in 2005, The Dance has gathered outstanding reviews.

In 2007, The Dance: The History of American Minstrelsy won an NAACP award for “Best Playwright”, given to both Aaron and Jason. The production has garnered the support of Harry Belafonte

Harry Belafonte

Harold George "Harry" Belafonte, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, actor and social activist. He was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s...

, KCET

KCET

KCET, channel 28, is an independent, non-commercial public television station licensed to Los Angeles, California, USA. KCET's studio is located on West Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, and its transmitter is atop Mount Wilson. Al Jerome is the current CEO and President, serving since 1996.KCET was...

and others.