No nappy hair during classical ballet class?

Netherlands: A Dutch black girl with nappy hair was excluded from ballet class because she didn’t wore her hair in a smooth bun.

But a week ago the Dutch Equal Treatment Commission ruled, that a dance school may not force students with black hair to wear their hair in a smooth bun.

The mother of a 12-year-old girl filed a complaint with the Commission last year against a dance school in The Hague. The school has a rule that hair of dancers in classical ballet must be worn in a bun. The student in question has black hair and usually wears her hair in pigtails.

When the girl wanted to attend ballet class with her braided hair up in a bun, the dance school denied her access to the classes as long as she would not wear her hair in a smooth knot.

According to the student and her mother it takes too much time to get black hair without braids in a knot. They offered to prepare the hair for performances and official events of the ballet school, but the dance school found it inadequate. They argued that other students with black hair did conform to the prescribed guidelines.

The dance school argued that no distinction is made on the basis of race, because the rule applies to everyone. But the Equal Treatment Commission ruled that the school indirectly does make the distinction, because having nappy hair (black hair) is associated with ethnic origin.

According to the hair website Kroeshaar.com the hairstyle on the photo is not allowed

Happy 36th Birthday Hip-Hop!

Yesterday, 36 years ago, Hip-Hop was born on 1520 Sedgwick Ave. and Cedar Park USA. But the music and the culture also made its way to Europe. Happy birthday Hip-Hop!


via: Shadow And Act.

Michael Jackson is dead

Michael Jackson, the show-stopping singer whose best-selling albums -- including "Off the Wall," "Thriller" and "Bad" -- and electrifying stage presence made him one of the most popular artists of all time has died. Michael Jackson, August 29 1958 – June 25 2009, became 50.

Rest in peace and thanks for the music and the memories.

This is my pick too.


Man In The Mirror 2

Street dance group Diversity beats Susan Boyle (UK)

Street dance group diversity has won the contest 'Britain’s got talent'. In the final they beat world's favourite Susan Boyle with a very creative dance act. Diversity is a troupe from East London - 11 boys aged 13 to 25 - and is head by 20-year-old choreographer Ashley Banjo. Banjo is the son of ex–ballet dancer Danielle Banjo and Nigerian ex-boxer Funso Banjo.

The dance group Flawles didn't make it to the final, but there where just as good. According the British newspaper Telegraph both dance groups brought street dance to the mainstream in the UK.

According to the Telegraph both Diversity and Flawless emphasise the value of hard work, dedication and cultivating their talent. They also hope to inspire others to dance, to fulfil their potential. As Anthony Duncan of Flawless puts it: "A lot of people don't dream any more. For so many young people, everything is today and tomorrow and that's it. There's nothing for them to attain. We want to put that back into people's lives."

Check out the video's of Flawless and the Dutch Groove Kings who competed in the Holland's got Talent contest.

Flawless


In the Holland's got Talent contest, Groove Kings became third

Groove Kings semi final

Swan Lake Bijlmermeer II: Classical Ballet and Street Dance in the Netherlands

Swan Lake Bijlmermeer II is a dance encounter with the Dutch National Ballet and the Urban dance group 'Don’t Hit Mama'. It's meeting of the classic world of ballet and the dance culture in Amsterdam Bijlmermeer. The Bijlmermeer is considered to be the home of the urban Afro-Surinam community in the Netherlands.

Swan Lake Bijlmermeer II is a co-production with the Dutch National Ballet and Don’t Hit Mama in collaboration with Het 5eKwartier.

In 2006 young dancers from secondary schools in Amsterdam’s Bijlmermeer district took part in a dance encounter with Dutch National Ballet dancers. Entitled Swan Lake Bijlmermeer, the show was created by Nita Liem of Don’t Hit Mama dance-theatre at the invitation of the Dutch National Ballet. Taking themes from Swan Lake as her springboard, Liem worked with a mix of ballet and Afro-American-based dance forms, such as hip hop and street dance, to create Swan Lake Bijlmermeer. For many young and old alike, the show was often their first encounter with classical ballet and, conversely, the first time that many ballet lovers had come into contact with popular present-day dance forms. An exciting and unique encounter that resulted in sold-out performances.

In 2009 the Dutch National Ballet and Don’t Hit Mama are joining forces again to stage Swan Lake Bijlmermeer II and the show will tour the Netherlands. An ideal opportunity to experience this unique meeting of dance styles and different social worlds. In collaboration with Dutch ROCs (Regional Vocational Colleges) and VMBO schools (pre-vocational secondary), Het 5eKwartier will lead a special project centred round the performances. Specialists in community art, Het 5eKwartier will establish interrelationships in an innovative way between dance and the everyday life of students in the cities and towns to which Swan Lake Bijlmermeer II will tour.