Decolonising dance: Broadening perspectives for tomorrow’s audiences

Dance has an extraordinary ability to express emotions, ideas and stories without words. It connects people across cultures and backgrounds, creating shared experiences that transcend language.

The dance sector, like many art forms, faces significant challenges. Financial pressures and slow returning audiences post-pandemic are increasingly leading to cautious investment and programming, which puts the art form at risk of perpetuating the structures and traditions of its past.

For dance to thrive it must evolve – and decolonising is a vital part of that evolution.

What is decolonising dance? 

Decolonising dance is about re-evaluating the hierarchies and biases that have historically shaped the art form and our stages. It’s about reconsidering what is valued, who is represented, what stories are told, and how they are shared.

In practice, it means ensuring all stories and dance genres, regardless of their cultural origin, reflect the broad spectrum of experiences and narratives that exist in society, and are treated with equal respect and opportunity. 

At Spin Arts, we integrate this philosophy into all the work we produce by honouring the artistic legacy of established dance forms – such as Kathak, Bharatnatyam, Flamenco, Irish Step-Dance and Disco Freestyle – while expanding their boundaries to include more diverse narratives.

This integration contributes to the decolonisation of dance, and the challenging of historical biases.

Mariposa by DeNada Dance Theatre

A powerful example is Mariposa, choreographed by Carlos Pons Guerra and presented by DeNada Dance Theatre. On the surface, one might wonder how this remake of Puccini’s Madame Butterfly helps decolonise dance. But its success -artistically and with audiences – highlights the potential of decolonising dance to attract wider and more diverse audiences. 

This bold reimagining transports Puccini’s Orientalist libretto to post-revolution Cuba, to a dockland world of faded showgirls, hopeful rent boys, troubled sailors and Santeriaspirits.

Exploring themes of gender, migration and queer identity through a Latinx perspective, it blends Contemporary Latin dance forms with more traditional forms such as classical ballet.

As such, Mariposa challenges the traditional canon by demonstrating how established narratives and dance forms can evolve to reflect cultural shifts and contemporary concerns. 

Why it matters – for audiences and venues

Decolonising dance is not just an artistic imperative; it’s a strategic one. Audiences are our sector’s lifeblood. In dance, these have evolved significantly over time, reflecting broader societal changes. Their tastes, values and expectations drive the success of venues, artists and companies alike. 

Today’s audiences are hungry for stories that reflect the complexity and richness of their lives. By challenging past tradition, we’re inviting broader audiences into the world of dance. If we fail to do this, we risk losing relevance and alienating the very communities we aim to serve. 

With mounting economic pressures, venues must remain attuned to the changing needs and interests of their audiences. Diverse programming isn’t just about reflecting societal values it also drives tangible financial benefits.

By presenting works that resonate with broader cultural experiences, venues can unlock new revenue streams, foster loyalty among under-represented audiences, and attract partnerships and funding opportunities aligned with inclusion and innovation. 

Venues that take bold steps towards representation and inclusion are likely to find themselves better positioned to compete in an increasingly crowded cultural landscape.

How can we create change?

To embrace these opportunities, the dance sector and venues can take the following proactive steps to decolonise dance:

• Acknowledge colonial histories – Recognise the colonial legacies that have marginalised some dance traditions while elevating others as ‘high art’.
• Prioritise representation – Showcase under-represented dance forms.
• Decentre Eurocentric norms – Challenge the dominance of ballet and contemporary dance as the pinnacles of artistry by revising dance curricula to include non-Western movement practices and their philosophies.
• Collaborate respectfully – Partner with communities to authentically and ethically present their dance forms. Co-create equitably with artists from historically colonised cultures.
• Challenge intellectual property injustices – Respect the cultural origins of dance forms, seeking permission and providing proper context when using traditional movements or elements.
• Foster accessibility and equity – Increase accessibility by offering free or affordable tickets, workshops and scholarships. Redistribute resources to support marginalised dance artists and grassroots initiatives.
• Support knowledge and documentation – Collaborate with communities to document and archive their dance traditions in ways that honour their cultural significance.
• Engage audiences thoughtfully – Provide educational context for performances through pre-show talks, panels and programme notes, and encourage audiences to question stereotypes and biases.
• Advocate for systemic change -Commit to embedding decolonial practices as ongoing, sustained efforts rather than one-off initiatives.
• Reflect and evolve -Be open to feedback from marginalised communities and act on it. 

By taking these steps, the dance sector can create a more inclusive, equitable and representative cultural landscape. This is not just about ticking boxes or meeting quotas; it’s about the evolution of dance to create a richer, more inclusive cultural landscape.

At Spin Arts, we are committed to this journey. We invite artists, venues and institutions to join us. Together, we can build a sector that thrives artistically and financially.

DeNada Dance Theatre’s tour of Mariposa opens at Drama Studio, Sheffield on 10 February and comes to The Place, London on 25 & 26 February.