A performance in the annual Noblesville Duck Race this weekend is under scrutiny, after young people from a local dance company played a song from the film “Hairspray” with questionable lyrics.
As he walked past the exhibition on Saturday, an individual stopped to watch a video of EnPointe Indiana dancers performing the song “Nicest Kids in Town” before posting it on Facebook.
During the video, young people can be seen playing in the street in front of a crowd as the song plays and you can hear the lyrics “sympathetic young white men who like to lead the way and once a month we have our ‘black day'”.
Since the presentation, the message has been shared more than 400 times and has more than 250 comments, some reacted with amazement and others expressed disgust at the noblesville Dance Company’s musical selection.
After the functionality was posted on social media, In Pointe Indiana posted on Facebook an apology for the musical choice, which took place during the ongoing Black Lives Matter protests across the country to protest racial inequality and police violence opposed to other people of color.
“We have been presented with a musical number of larger paintings that emphatically celebrates diversity and condemns racism and intolerance of all kinds,” he said. “However, without this very important context, it is completely understandable (and deserves to have been predictable on our part) that we simply hear the words and immediately get confused, offended, hurt and angry.”
Chris Moore, one of the four owners of At Pointe Indiana, said Sunday night that the studio deeply regrets the error and is committed to resolving the incident and making sure it doesn’t happen again. Moore said homeowners are open to listening to the public and talking about the mistake and will take steps to warn themselves and their staff.
The film is set in the 1960s and is based on a television screen called “The Buddy Deane Show”, which featured Baltimore-area teenagers dancing popular music, but canceled in 1964 after the television station turned down calls for integration. according to a 2002 Washington Post article.
“Hairspray” imitated the incident by following an obese teenager who dreamed of joining a similar exhibition but was rejected in the first place due to her physical appearance.
At Pointe he apologized and promised to make similar mistakes in the future.
“We all want grace from time to time, and of course we want it now, ” he read. “Actually, we’re sorry we ruined what was supposed to be a joyful event.”
Macey Dickerson, who recorded the video, said he went to the festival with his friends and enjoyed the time.
Dickerson watched “Hairspray” and remembered the contents of the song. When the youngsters started dancing, she was sure they would finish the song before the debatable lyrics went through the speakers.
“After I knew they were going to play the whole song, I took out my phone. Apart from the band and maybe a family, I think I’m the only user of color there, and it seemed that no one teased when the most debatable words appeared. She said. “Unfortunately, I was not surprised by the lack of outrage. As a black user living in a predominantly white area, the avalanche of micro-aggression and the manifest racism we enjoy on a daily basis is relentless. It hurts, but never surprised. »
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Dickerson said she felt compelled to record and express the clip because other people of color who express concern or discomfort face answers like “they didn’t think so” or “it’s not about race, their intentions are good.”
“With this incident, there will have been a lot of rehearsals before this event, and the fact that no one thought the song was out of place or offensive says it all,” he says.
Dickerson’s idea that with the video as proof, there’s no way for answers to come up that will protect the song or refute the emotions of angry blacks. She was disappointed to see a lot of comments on social media doing just that.
“After seeing how other people justify the disproportionate killings of other black people at the hands of the police, I am no longer surprised through the other people who protect the indefensible,” he said. “I’ve met so many amazing people here, but incidents like saturday and ongoing discussions on social media have reduced my sense of security and shown my fears about who is welcome.”
Noblesville Mayor Chris Jensen said he shared the network’s considerations for the song’s lyrics, but believed the incident could be used as an expansion opportunity.
“While disappointing, deaf and unsused, especially given recent occasions and efforts to paint for a more inclusive and welcoming society,” Jensen said, “this can be a learning opportunity for all stakeholders to be more diligent with words. decide on a daily basis.”
Dana Randall, a board member of the Noblesville Diversity Coalition, agreed and said that in order to achieve some growth, such incidents face the mindset of looking together for a way forward.
“Whenever you have a meeting, you plan an occasion, whatever you do, you have to look around and say, “Who’s not there? What voices are we missing? “Randall said.” You only know what you know, so training, our prejudices, all those pieces are important.
“Most of these paintings start with ourselves as individuals.”
He added that it was vitally important to pay attention when giving his point of view.
“If I don’t see that (a situation) is a challenge, but I hear someone say it’s a challenge for me, we can’t turn it down,” Randall said. “We will have to pay attention and perceive this experience. It’s not us and them, it’s us, so when a member of our family circle gets hurt, we’re all hurt.”
Representatives of Noblesville Main Street, the organization that organized the event, issued a message about the song’s selection stating that the organization will take steps to ensure that all long-term occasions “promote an inclusive environment” for attendees.
“Noblesville Main Street doesn’t have a formal date with EnPointe Indiana Dance Studio and has approved that this song be included in the routine,” said noblesville Main Street statement.
Lorna Oskouie, executive director of Noblesville Main Street, said a member of the organization’s staff sits on the teams that want to perform the rubber duck occasion to talk about their proposal in advance.
“In this situation, EnPointe told us that they would carry out a regime with the theme of the ‘rubber duck’,” Oskouie said in an email response to questions from an IndyStar reporter.
Oskouie said Noblesville Main Street and its board of administrators will begin a formal review procedure for all the exhibits in the organization and the exhibits it organizes “in an effort to keep a scenario like this from happening in the future.”
Contact Brooke Kemp, member of IndyStar Pulliam, [email protected]. Follow her on Twitter @brookemkemp.
Call IndyStar reporter Justin L. Mack at 317-444-6138. Follow him on Twitter: @justinlmack.