TED 23 | Why You Should Care about Language in Lessons with Bobbie Miles
How many times have we been in lessons where leaders are referred to as men/guys and followers are referred to as women/ladies/girls? With more and more people wanting to try "the other" role in salsa, bachata and kizomba, iit's about time we moved with the times and actively begin using more inclusive language in our dance lessons.
Language is a powerful thing. We are dancers and movement is a big part of how we communicate on the social dance floor, but in lessons and workshops, words are the communication method of choice. So the words we choose matter. Using “men/guys” as interchangeable with “leaders” and “women/girls/ladies” as interchangeable with followers keeps all dancers in a box they never chose to be in and maintains the social limitations of everyday life that so many of us are trying so hard to overcome. Have a think about what you’re hearing in class, have a look around. Gendered language affects whether a dancer will try out the opposite role in that lesson or how long it will take them to muster the courage to step out of their “lane”.
What to expect in this episode:
(00:00:00) - Men = leaders, women = followers?
(00:10:10) - But most leaders are men, most followers are women…
(00:01:52) - De-gendering dancing and moving with the times
(00:04:00) - That old line of “but you know what I mean!”
(00:06:32) - Why gendered roles belong in the past
(00:08:34) - Understanding why women find it “brave” to lead
(00:09:51) - Examples of the limitations of gendered roles in social dancing
(00:11:44) - The challenge for next time…!
About Bobbie Miles:
Bobbie Miles is a social dancer based in Bristol. The salsa, bachata, and kizomba scene is special to so many, Bobbie included. The more she danced however, the more she became aware of inappropriate behaviours in the scene, ranging from low-level “creepiness” to undeniable abuses of power. Bobbie realised that she will no longer keep quiet, be subjected to any sort of misconduct, and nor should anyone else. She is an advocate for speaking up, boundary setting, and respect in the dance scene. Through The Empowered Dancers Podcast, she promotes transparency, understanding, and accountability and as a public speaker, she talks about putting boundary setting and respect into practice, both on and off the dance floor.
Resources:
Download my 5 Top Tips for a great dance night! https://empowereddancers.com/5tips
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