Women of colour and somatic movement: an emerging narrative

Abstract

Throughout the 20th century, somatic and dance-making pioneers have given rise to narratives of body. The dominant voice, however, within somatic literature, has historically emphasised a Eurocentric worldview - the legacy of which has left women of colour underrepresented. This article aims to substantiate female voices of colour by addressing what progress has already been made in the academic sphere. Further, this article puts forth a qualitative study examining eight women of colour and their experiences participating in a somatic movement intervention. The design model for this research involved two six-hour somatic workshops comprised of: Authentic Movement, embodied writing, and embodied presence. Methodology includes: Narrative Inquiry, Autoethnography, Practice-Led Research, and Organic inquiry. Findings were examined through thematic analysis and body-based reflection, themes discovered were: “Communality, Home, Solidarity, Sisterhood”, “Ancestry-Ritual Space”, and “Womanhood, Healing”. This research is a contribution to the emerging non-Eurocentric narrative in somatic movement.