Voting Nation

When Tammy Brown of The Womxn Project approached Alicia Wilder of Metamorphosis Dance Company suggesting they organize a flash mob to promote voting, Wilder was instantly on board. The song they chose to dance to is Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation.”

“If you really take the time to listen to the lyrics, it is so relevant to the world we live in right now, and emphasizes the importance of coming together and using our voices to create change,” Wilder said of the song choice.

With support from Metamorphosis company members Lea Marie D’Arminio, Allie Smith and Simon Oloaye, the duo created an instructional video. They’re asking participants to learn the dance, then upload a video of them performing it with a little freestyle at the end.

Why did Wilder feel called to encourage others to vote? “There is a lot about 2020 that has left me feeling helpless, or as though I have a lack of control,” she said. “I’ve spent a lot of my free time reflecting on how I can be more active in my community, and as a white ally. I feel it is my responsibility to do all that I can to encourage those around me to participate in this coming election, and to come together to fight for the rights of people who have been oppressed for far too long.

“After talking in depth with Tammy about where the project could go, how we could do it safely and follow COVID guidelines, and how to get the younger voting generation involved, we decided that a social media campaign was the right choice.  The idea of making this a fun, easy to learn dance, brings a sense of joy to the idea of voting and voting awareness.  It allows us to get the message across, while inviting people to have some fun!  Dancing or jamming to a great song like this, is always a good way, in my opinion, to let go of something, and feel a sense of freedom, and happiness.” 

Wilder said about the role of art in politics, “I think art, in general, allows people to work out what they are feeling and how they respond to things, without having to use words. … Though we don’t all have the same experiences, we all can experience the same feelings.  This is an important tool for communication in all aspects of life, but can act as a facilitator for conversation in relation to politics.”

Learn the dance at vimeo.com/471366893, then upload it with #ourvoteisourvoice and #votingnation, and tag @thewomxnprojecthq and @metamorphosisdanceco. For more information, go to fb.com/metamorphosisdanceco