{"id":166953,"date":"2022-10-11T15:35:01","date_gmt":"2022-10-12T01:35:01","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/?p=166953"},"modified":"2022-10-11T15:35:01","modified_gmt":"2022-10-12T01:35:01","slug":"manoa-queer-dance-course","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/2022\/10\/11\/manoa-queer-dance-course\/","title":{"rendered":"<abbr>UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa queer dance course among 1st in nation"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 3<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><div class=\"responsive-video-wrap-post\"><figure class=\"wp-block-embed wp-block-embed-youtube is-type-video is-provider-youtube epyt-figure\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\"><div class=\"epyt-video-wrapper\"><iframe  id=\"_ytid_12221\"  width=\"676\" height=\"676\"  data-origwidth=\"676\" data-origheight=\"676\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/UoUC1qPHtQs?enablejsapi=1&origin=https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu&rel=0&autoplay=0&cc_load_policy=0&cc_lang_pref=&iv_load_policy=1&loop=0&fs=1&playsinline=0&autohide=2&theme=dark&color=red&controls=1&disablekb=0&\" class=\"__youtube_prefs__  no-lazyload\" title=\"Â鶹´«Ã½M\u0101noa queer dance course among 1st in nation\"  allow=\"fullscreen; accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen data-no-lazy=\"1\" data-skipgform_ajax_framebjll=\"\"><\/iframe><\/div><\/div><\/figure><\/div>\n<p>A popular exploratory dance course combining artistry forms such as drag, runway, vogue and pageantry is gaining momentum at the University of <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> at M\u0101noa. The <a href=\"https:\/\/manoa.hawaii.edu\/liveonstage\/\">Department of Theatre and Dance<\/a> recently launched a queer dance class, a three-credit elective course that offers students an opportunity to explore the communicative, physical and artistic aspects of dance as a medium of human expression and interaction.<\/p>\n<p>Queer theory and queer studies are emerging in university curriculums across the nation. <abbr title=\"University of Hawaii\">UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa is one of the first higher education institutions in the country to offer a full-semester, three-credit performing arts practice based course in queer dance.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There is a great need to create a space of visibility for queer performing artists,&rdquo; said <strong>Kara Jhalak Miller<\/strong>, an associate professor and associate chair of dance at <abbr>UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa. &ldquo;The dance faculty advocate for and support <abbr>BIPOC<\/abbr> (Black, Indigenous, People of Color) and <abbr>LGBTQ<\/abbr>&#43; dance, theater and performance scholars, artists, and artistic practices.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2>More on queer dance<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_166959\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-166959\" style=\"width: 250px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/manoa-dance-queer-dance-class.jpg\" alt=\"People dancing\" width=\"250\" height=\"250\" class=\"size-full wp-image-166959\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/manoa-dance-queer-dance-class.jpg 250w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/manoa-dance-queer-dance-class-130x130.jpg 130w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 250px) 100vw, 250px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-166959\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">The course fulfills degree electives of both dance and queer studies.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>The dance genre, which can be traced back to the 1980s, was born out of gay and lesbian dance clubs and ballroom culture and has been widely popularized on stage by pop artists such as Lady Gaga and Madonna. Queer dance also features performing art forms such as impersonation, lip-synching and pantomime. The <abbr>UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa course incorporates techniques and choreography created by Asian and Pacific Islander m\u0101h\u016b (identity with male and female characteristics) here in <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;Self-confidence is key in this. Exploring yourself, who you are, not being afraid to be a little bit sexy, a little bit sassy, discovering new sides of yourself. I think that\u2019s very much queer dance,&rdquo; said <strong>Hannah Archer<\/strong>, a <abbr>UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa dance major enrolled in the class this fall.<\/p>\n<p>This classically trained dancer is grateful that <abbr>UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa created the course last spring and believes that learning diverse dance genres and their history is key to becoming a well-rounded performer.<\/p>\n<h2>N\u0101n\u0101 i ke kumu (Look to the source)<\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_166960\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-166960\" style=\"width: 214px\" class=\"wp-caption alignright\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/manoa-dance-queer-dance-cocoa-chandelier-214x300.jpg\" alt=\"Image of Cocoa Chandelier\" width=\"214\" height=\"300\" class=\"size-medium wp-image-166960\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/manoa-dance-queer-dance-cocoa-chandelier-214x300.jpg 214w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/manoa-dance-queer-dance-cocoa-chandelier-93x130.jpg 93w, https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/10\/manoa-dance-queer-dance-cocoa-chandelier.jpg 250w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 214px) 100vw, 214px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-166960\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Cocoa Chandelier<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>At the helm of the cutting-edge dance course is renowned <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> performer <strong>Sami L.A. Akuna<\/strong>, a celebrated drag queen icon who is also known by his stage name, Cocoa Chandelier. Akuna, who earned his <abbr title=\"Bachelor of Fine Arts\">BFA<\/abbr> in dance, <abbr title=\"Bachelor of Arts\">BA<\/abbr> in theatre and <abbr title=\"Master of Fine Arts\">MFA<\/abbr> in Asian theatre directing in the theatre and dance department at <abbr>UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa, brings decades of experience in the performing arts, having entertained on stages across the continent and here in the islands.<\/p>\n<p>The Native Hawaiian instructor presents students with choreography and dance techniques that have graced <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span>\u2019s entertainment scene through the decades, dating back to revered onstage revues in the 1960s at The Glades, a popular downtown Honolulu bar that featured female impersonation.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;There is a lot of stored history in those production numbers that I\u2019ve learned by watching or participating in these shows in Waik\u012bk\u012b or in fully mounted drag shows outside of those,&rdquo; Akuna said. &ldquo;Most of that choreography has been shared and remembered across generations. I\u2019m bringing the knowledge and physical history of those movements to the class as well as creating new ones.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<p>Akuna\u2019s course fulfills degree electives of both dance and queer studies. The <abbr>UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa Department of Theatre and Dance and <a href=\"https:\/\/wgss.manoa.hawaii.edu\/\">Women\u2019s Gender and Sexuality Studies<\/a> are currently working on cross-listing the course in both disciplines.<\/p>\n<p>&ldquo;<abbr>LGBTQ<\/abbr>&#43;, m\u0101h\u016b and ally students tell me that Sami L.A. Akuna\u2019s queer dance is both empowering and life affirming,&rdquo; said <strong>Camaron Miyamoto<\/strong>, director of the <a href=\"https:\/\/manoa.hawaii.edu\/lgbtq\/\"><abbr>UH<\/abbr> M\u0101noa <abbr>LGBTQ<\/abbr>&#43; Center<\/a>. &ldquo;This is truly powerful and transformative education&#8212;exactly what higher education can do when it is at its very best.&rdquo;<\/p>\n<h2>Taking their show on the road<\/h2>\n<p>Audiences will have an opportunity to catch Akuna\u2019s students perform. Students are currently preparing to appear at the Honolulu Pride Festival on October 15 and <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> State Art Museum on December 2.<\/p>\n<p>Their onstage debut was showcased at the 37th annual Universal Show Queen Pageant at <span aria-label=\"Hawaii\">Â鶹´«Ã½<\/span> Convention Center in early October.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The popular exploratory dance class combines artistry forms such as drag, runway, vogue and pageantry. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":16,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[25,12],"tags":[1471,78,690,76,9,56,1540],"class_list":["post-166953","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-academic-news","category-video","tag-college-of-arts-languages-and-letters","tag-dance","tag-lgbtq","tag-theatre-and-dance","tag-uh-manoa","tag-video-2","tag-women-gender-and-sexuality-studies","entry","has-media"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166953","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/16"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=166953"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166953\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":167018,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/166953\/revisions\/167018"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=166953"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=166953"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.hawaii.edu\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=166953"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}