Migrating Movement; The Shared Histories of Jazz Dance and American Agriculture: Creation, Cooptation, and Reclamation

Author

Natalia Belén Jacobs Swender, Bates CollegeFollow

Department or Program

Environmental Studies

Abstract

Though seemingly disparate subjects, the historic connection between dance and agriculture cannot be overstated. Specifically, the quintessential American dance form, Jazz, has been both directly and indirectly shaped by America's changing agricultural systems. Created as an expression by and for Black communities disenfranchised from other landscapes, jazz continued to evolve through migration, immigration, and urbanization. However, in the late 20th century, codification of the form by White choreographers obfuscated and concealed this history. Today, actors in both the agricultural and creative sectors are working to re-situate these histories in the public eye, a vital step in reclaiming creative and physical landscapes for the communities that originally cultivated them.

Level of Access

Restricted: Campus/Bates Community Only Access

First Advisor

Christine Martinez

Date of Graduation

5-2026

Degree Name

Bachelor of Arts

Recommended Citation

Jacobs Swender, Natalia Belén, "Migrating Movement; The Shared Histories of Jazz Dance and American Agriculture: Creation, Cooptation, and Reclamation" (2026). Standard Theses. 408.
https://scarab.bates.edu/envr_studies_theses/408

Components of Thesis

2 pdf file, 1 google doc