#31: Why Is Partner Dance So White? And How to Fix It

<p><strong>Is partner dancing losing its roots? </strong>What happens when we stop caring or asking about <em>where</em> a dance came from?</p><p><br></p><p>This week, we&#39;re joined by <strong>Dave Harris</strong> for one of the most thought-provoking conversations we&#39;ve had on the podcast. We dive into the intersections of dance, culture, history, identity, and what it really means to create an “inclusive place” - not just in theory, but in <em>actual practice</em>.</p><p><br></p><p>This isn&#39;t a surface-level conversation. It&#39;s an invitation to get curious on why there aren’t enough people of color in dance, challenge assumptions, and think more deeply about the future of fusion dance.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>What we talk about in this episode:</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>1) Why aren&#39;t more people of color in partner dance?</strong></p><ul><li><p>The barriers that often go unseen.</p></li><li><p>Why saying &quot;everyone is welcome&quot; is *not* always enough.</p></li><li><p>Practical ways organizers and communities can create spaces where more people genuinely feel they belong.</p></li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>2) Why dance, cooking, writing, and even sex have more in common than you think</strong></p><p><br></p><p><strong>3) When does fusion become colonial without organizers &amp; teachers realizing it?</strong></p><ul><li><p>A thoughtful discussion on cultural exchange versus cultural extraction.</p></li><li><p>Why intention matters - but education matters too.</p></li><li><p>How honoring history can actually make us <em>better</em> dancers and humans</p></li><li><p>What gets lost when we separate a dance from the culture that helped shape it.</p><p><br></p></li></ul><p><strong>4) The hidden mental load of being &quot;the only one&quot;</strong></p><ul><li><p>What it&#39;s like to walk into a room where you&#39;re the minority.</p></li><li><p>The invisible emotional labor many dancers carry before they even step onto the dance floor.</p></li><li><p>Why belonging is about far more than receiving an invitation.</p></li><li><p>How empathy begins by listening to experiences different from our own.</p></li></ul><p><br></p><p><strong>5) Questions every dance community should be asking:</strong></p><ul><li><p>What voices are missing?</p></li><li><p>What kind of culture are we creating? —for today&#39;s dancers and the next generation?</p></li></ul><p><br></p><p>This conversation may challenge you. It may make you uncomfortable in