I Heart Gibney Interview with Kadie Henderson
A Celebration of all things Gibney, I <3 Gibney is our annual performance showcase, presenting works by Gibney’s vibrant community of staff, renters, teachers, colleagues, and supporters.
Senior Curatorial Director Eva Yaa Asantewaa sat down with the presenting artists and hosts to hear more about how dance is a form of love. Below is her interview with Gibney Community Actionist & Founder of We Makin’ It, Kadie Henderson.
Get your tickets for I <3 Gibney on February 11, 2020 at The Theater at Gibney 280 Broadway.
Eva Yaa Asantewaa: Who is your most loved dance ancestor?
Kadie Henderson: Katherine Dunham. Pearl Primus. Blondell Cummings. They gave us a range in what it meant to be Black on stage both in their movement and how they carried themselves.
EYA: What do you love most about dance?
KH: How it has brought families together; made me feel closer to my partner; inspired me to be all that I could; given me space to fill and feel and be fulfilled.
EYA: How is dance a form of love?
KH: It’s a language that is best shared with others and yourself. I shake my hips or simply sway, and I can’t help but smile.
EYA: What do you think could help more people love dance?
KH: More dance parties! More slow dances in the kitchen with something good on the stove! Making more memories where dance creates closeness for folks!
EYA: What do you love about Gibney?
KH: It gave me access to a dance lineage I didn’t know existed. It is a bridge to many of my dance homes.
Photo of Kadie Henderson by SJR Photography.