Episode 48: Maureen Footer

Maureen Footer is an author and cultural historian whose work explores the ways artists, designers, and creators shape the culture around them, and she joined The Adult Ballet Studio this month! Maureen is the author of several acclaimed books on fashion, architecture and design, and her newest book takes her into the world of dance with Feel the Floor: Restoring the Life and Legacy of Jazz Choreographer Buddy Bradley, published by Beacon Press. The book tells the story of Buddy Bradley, a Black choreographer and teacher whose career began during the Harlem Renaissance and eventually took him from Broadway to London’s West End. There, his work helped transform theatrical dance. Bradley taught and influenced some of the biggest performers of his era, and his choreography drew from tap, jazz, ballroom, folk dance and mime. Bradley’s influence also extended into classical ballet. His work helped shape the movement vocabulary of many choreographers, including George Balanchine, and contributed to the development of what would become neoclassical ballet. Yet, despite the reach of his influence, Bradley’s name largely disappeared from mainstream dance history, especially in the U.S. Feel the Floor seeks to change that by restoring Bradley’s story. Maureen is also a lifelong ballet enthusiast and serves on the boards of New York City Ballet, the Jerome Robbins Dance Division of the New York Public Library, and the American Friends of the Paris Opera Ballet. We talk about Bradley’s remarkable legacy, the ways racism and cultural hierarchies have shaped what gets preserved in dance history, and what his story can teach us about influence, inclusion and belonging in the world of ballet. Check it out! Get a copy of Feel the Floor: https://www.amazon.com/Feel-Floor-Restoring-Choreographer-Bradley/dp/0807045241 Follow Maureen on Instagram: @maureenfooter Learn more about Maureen’s work: www.maureenfooter.net Subscribe to The Adult Ballet Studio on YouTube: @adultballetstudio Music in this episode: Waltz of the Flowers - Tchaikovsky Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light - Kevin MacLeod Barroom Ballet - Silent Film Light by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1100310 Artist: http://incompetech.com/ @eblosfield | [email protected] The Adult Ballet Studio has merch! https://theadultballetstudio-shop.fourthwall.com/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.