Filed under: Current Events, Election 2008, Josh, Politics, Race | Tags: Election, Hope, Obama
When I was roughly 9 years old, i proudly declared to my older sister that after mulling it over in my head for the past decade or so, I had finally decided what I wanted to “be” when I grew up- President of the United States. It seemed like a rather glamorous position to me at the time, what with the king-like authority, cool-shaped office, 24-hour on-call posse of armed guards in black suits, etc. and besides that, it just seemed way cooler than being a paleontologist (my former dream career). Yet still, despite the amount of time, energy, and critical thought I’d put into my newfound aspiration, I was met not with praise from my eldest sibling, but rather discouragement. On the evening of my ever-so-eloquent verbal declaration of my intention to pursue the position of Commander-In-Chief, with all the careful delicacy of a falling anvil, my sister unflinchingly looked me in the eyes, and told me that no Black man would ever become President. No shot. Not a chance. Ever.
What a difference 10 years makes.
Gettin’ Lite is a movement.
Yeah, I said it; a movement. Not a dance craze, not some simple pastime for inner-city youth trying desperately to escape the confines of poorly-funded schools, drugs, and gun violence, and not even just musical eye candy for rhythm-less onlookers and collegiate bloggers alike to gawk at and wish that they too could melt into hip-hop beats and impromptu jam sessions the way these kids do.
There’s something more to it. It’s like this incredibly fluid amalgam of musical influences that span the last century of African-American dance culture combined with hip-hop swagger and an undeniable NYC flavor that eludes any sort of label that my limited vocabulary could place on it. It’s breaking, tap, vogue, ballet, miming, pop-locking and probably many other dance forms that I’ve never even seen before all compacted into one ever-evolving, indescribable package that has literally taken parties by storm in the New York City area for the past couple of years.
Now…you’re probably wondering why any of this matters, why on this blog about race, politics, and culture I have decided to dedicate my first post to what on the surface seems to be a bunch of kids dancing in subway tunnels, project hallways and street corners of New York City when they should be studying algebra or doing some kind of after-school program. Well, I’m glad you asked.
