SLAMDANCE relishes in the absurdity of the stories we tell to explain Black people’s participation in their own culture. In sound, video, and performance, the project considers various attempts at defining Afropunk, traces the social shape of the pit, and advocates for the radical possibilities of vastly over and under-explaining the historical origins Black punks.

“If I was black and normal I’d still get fucked with, so I might as well do what I want to do and just take my chances.”
-Marlon Whitfield, Another State of Mind (1984)

created and performed by Ian Andrew Askew

design by Cheyanne Williams and Gabriele Preston

support from David Glista, Andres Abenante, and Camila Ortiz

SLAMDANCE garage, 2021
The Performing Garage
Towards A New Collectivity: The Performing Garage in partnership with Kaneza Schaal

SLAMDANCE TV, 2021
The Kitchen OnScreen

SLAMDANCE basement, 2019
Arts @ 29 Garden

photos by David Glista and Eva Rosenfeld

Supported, in part, by a Foundation for Contemporary Arts Emergency Grant.