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Wake Up Call for Inclusion 03 – Institutional Barriers and Individual Biases in the Performing Arts for Women of Color
This panel is part of CircusTalk’s Wake Up Call for Inclusion series. In this episode, titled Institutional Barriers and Individual Biases in the Performing Arts for Women of Color, we explore how women of color in the performing arts, specifically in the circus industry, experience life at the intersection of race and gender. By examining historical instances of systemic racism, examples of microaggressions, and systemic incidences and policies in the performing arts which lead to exclusion, we will explore some action items for improving inclusivity for women of color in our sector.
Moderator Veronica Blair – Professional Aerialist, Aerial Director for Celebrity Cruises Entertainment, Coach, Choreographer and Documentarian, Founder of “The Uncle Junior Project” USA . Panelists
Busty Beatz – Music Director and Co-creator at Hot Brown Honey, Meanjin/Lands of the Jagera People, Australia
Courtney Johnson – Former Gymnast, Doctor of Physical Therapy, USA Gymnastics Judge & Lecturer and Brown Girls Do Gymnastics Director of Sports Medicine, USA
Joanna Haigood – Founder and Artistic Director of Zaccho Dance Theater, San Francisco, California, USA
Shenea Stiletto (she/her) – Two Time World Acrobatic Champion, USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame Member and World Class Handbalancer, Instructor, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Professor Vanessa Toulmin – Chair in Early Film & Popular Entertainment Research Professor and Founder National Fairground & Circus Archive University of Sheffield, UK
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Veronica Blair is a professional aerialist with over 15 years of performing and teaching experience. She is currently Aerial Director for Celebrity Cruises Entertainment Expanding her portfolio beyond performing, Veronica launched the development of “The Uncle Junior Project” in 2010. The ongoing documentary shines a light on the careers of African-American circus performers, including Emanual “Uncle Junior” Ruffin who remained largely uncredited for his contributions to American Circus until after his death. In 2017, she was invited to speak at the Smithsonian Folklife Festival about her experience as producer and director of “The Uncle Junior Project”, and served as organizer and moderator on a panel highlighting the African-American circus experience. She’s also worked with the African-American Art and Culture Complex to stage "Entrapment to Entertainment: A Celebration of Blacks in American Circus", a three-month exhibition that ran from October, 2013 – January 2014 with over 1,000 attendees.
