Dancing Women / Dancing Queer

Dancing Women / Dancing Queer

Clare Croft (SMTD)

Damon Locks will attend the class and give hands-on instruction in his turntable methods, discussing how he works to “queer” (undermine the gendered assumptions) about dj-ing. The students will also see work-in-progress from Locks and his collaborator Anna Martine Whitehead during a class field trip to Detroit. Having the perspective of a straight-identified Black man in the course is rare, and also offers a particular perspective on questions of gender and performance. Also, Locks is a premiere Chicago-based DJ with a nationally known profile, and is a frequent collaborator with dance artists, so he brings a knowledge of dance–but one gained from the outside. Finally, one of the assignments in the course is to create a party playlist that explores one of the key terms in the course, so Locks’ visit will support the students’ own creative explorations.