Straight, Yet Narrow ( 17:47)NARRATIVE SHORTS
by Danie Etienne 4:25 pm ROOM TBA |
|
Description:
Straight, Yet Narrow is a dance film about a young black woman who is faced with the decision to undergo a procedure that would permanently alter her hair follicles causing her hair to grow straight. This film sparks conversation surrounding black communities’ convoluted relationship to their hair, discrimination against those with tightly coiled hair, and against what darker-skinned people face within their own spaces.
Straight, Yet Narrow is a dance film about a young black woman who is faced with the decision to undergo a procedure that would permanently alter her hair follicles causing her hair to grow straight. This film sparks conversation surrounding black communities’ convoluted relationship to their hair, discrimination against those with tightly coiled hair, and against what darker-skinned people face within their own spaces.
Filmmaker's Bio:
Danie Etienne is a Haitian-American storyteller, movement author, and filmmaker hailing from Fort Myers, Florida. Growing up, Danie’s family frequented many Haitian parties sometimes in celebration of special events and other times to simply enjoy the company of others. Usually, these parties were big events filled with lots of food, joy, music, and dance. These celebrations shaped her as an artist and is one of the biggest reasons she began to pursue a career in dance. Danie’s earliest and fondest memories of dance feature her as a young child being carried away by the jazz-based rhythms of Kompa music, a popular form of Haitian music, that began in Haiti in the1950s. Kompa music can be described as a fusion of Latin merengue, Caribbean, and jazz influences and is often accompanied by Kompa dance, which highlights figure-eight movements of the hips. Empowered by the celebratory social gatherings that shaped her childhood, she often includes moments of jubilation in her choreography to excite energy in the space, motivating and giving praise to everyone in the room. |