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Why that Video of Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez Dancing is So Revolutionary

Last night, a video of newly sworn-in Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) surfaced from her college days, in which she and some friends imitate the dancing scene from the 1980s film The Breakfast Club. It was meant as a smear. But it’s adorable.

And it’s making the GOP lose their minds.

I wrote this on Facebook:

(Seriously…. 22 shares? Y’all are amazing.)

The GOP losing their minds over a young woman of color dancing says everything we need to know about them. They are terrified of a Latina woman with bodily agency. And they are doubly terrified that she speaks. Let them be terrified of a dancing woman.

Dancing has always been a threat to the patriarchy. Tim and I have a whole chapter of it in our recent book. Pamphlets like “Balls and their Consequences” (no, really) railed against the dangers of dancing, how that it might turn innocent maids into fiery harlots, corrupting upright young Christian men, and inviting in the Devil himself.

Dance is powerful. Dance is subversive. Dance is radical.

And we’re seeing this phenomenon play out right before our very eyes.

The time for dancing lawmakers is well overdue.


But, instead of writing a longer post about it, I made a little video. My camera does weird focus and light things, and I’m still figuring it out. Bear with me as I work it out and talk about bodies, gender, and agency.


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Hi! I'm Abby!

Welcome to my blog!

Here you’ll find my thoughts on everything from history and culture, to fusion and hybridity, to performance and training tips. I’m passionate about excellence, curiosity, and education in dance… in the studio and beyond.

In addition to holding Level 5 (Teaching Certification) in the Salimpour Formats, I also have an MA in Dance Studies at Mills College.

While belly dance and its related forms are my first love, I also teach American Modern Dance History at Mills College.

As director of the Salimpour School Berkeley, I hold weekly community belly dance classes in Berkeley, California.

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