Critical Dance Theory

Last week, someone on Facebook asked if anyone remembers learning square dancing in school? I suspect you have to be 44 years of age, or older, to answer in the affirmative.

The question got me thinking. Particularly in light of arguments springing from the right side of the political aisle objecting to "Critical Race Theory". I would bet 90% of the equity in my house that the majority of Trumpsters and the Red Hat Brigade have no idea about the tenets of Critical Race Theory.

None.

Just as I, and probably you, have no idea how, or why, square dancing magically wormed its way into the American public school curriculum. 

It doesn't take a Werhner von Brian, rocket scientist to the Nazis, to see the cultural whitewashing going on here. Particularly when you find out that Henry Ford, America's favorite billionaire white supremacist had a hand in all those dos-e-does and allemande rights.

Ford saw the introduction of square dancing as a way to stem the influx of jazz, blues and subsequently rock n'roll, into American culture. 

Have you ever wondered why we were never taught swing dancing or tango or anything other than the goofy dance steps preferred by nice, white, "cultured" people, the ones with the pitchforks and later, tiki torches.

And Ford, who applied his assembly line theory to bigotry, blamed America's missteps to the influx of immigrants and of course, my people.

This got me thinking, dangerous, I know. About all the other ways my early education was slathered in undeniable whitewash. 

For example, we made many class trips to the Revolutionary war historical sites in upstate New York. And heard tale of Mad Anthony Wayne, the battles in nearby Pennsylvania, and even places where George Washington slept. But for reasons that are just now becoming apparent, learned nothing of the Lakota tribe of Indians, and their descendants, that made up the majority of the surrounding area of Hillburn, NY. 

Even more shameful, we heard nothing of Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall and his ties to the town.

To this day the sugarcoating continues. It was just last week when we heard esteemed representatives from Louisiana, shamelessly step up to the microphone and rationalize the 3/5ths of person clause and speak, with no sense of irony, about the "good parts of slavery."

It makes my blood boil. 

And it spills over the top when I realize that it has no effect on half this country who are content to Grab Their Partner, Roll Away to a Half Sashay and Weave the Ring. 

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I apologize for today's lack of of humor, but once I get on my high horse, I have to go with it.

Also, for a fascinating, alternative look at the American narrative, I suggest you watch the incredible docuseries on HBO, Exterminate All the Brutes. 

It is an eye-opener.