Kiri Avelar published in ‘Contemporary Choreography: A Critical Reader’

Assistant Professor Kiri Avelar recently published "Navigating Diasporic 'Third Spaces' and (New) Borderlands through Dance and Choreography," co-authored with Andrew Ssebulime in Contemporary Choreography: A Critical Reader (Third Edition), edited by Jo Butterworth and Vicky Hunter.

Abstract: 
This chapter explores the role of dance and choreography in navigating diasporic identities. Through an autoethnographic approach and the prioritization of pláticas~testimonios, we analyze the experiences of a Ugandan folk dancer in China and a Chicana fronteriza dance artist in North America. We argue that dance practices create “third spaces” where diasporic subjects negotiate hybrid identities and challenge essentialist notions of cultural authenticity. Our comparative analysis reveals specific choreographic strategies—including contextual framing, interactive pedagogy, andanzas, remembering/unforgetting, and processes of deconstructing/reconstructing through a Coyolxauhqui imperative—employed in different diasporic contexts. These strategies enable dancers to preserve cultural memory while creating new forms of expression that reflect the complexities of diasporic life. This research contributes to diaspora studies and dance studies by highlighting how embodied practices shape diasporic identities and offers insights into how individuals navigate tensions between cultural preservation and adaptation in an increasingly globalized world.