Summary: This paper considers the choreography and work of New York 'black dance' artist Eleo Pomare in the Netherlands and Australia during the 1960s and 1970s. With the 'double consciousness' of black subjects from the transatlantic (Gilroy), Pomare helped to create a radical dance aesthetics based on observation of everyday life, poetic expression, and social commentary. However, this 'angry dancer' adopted a position outside cultural hierarchies, by leading an integrated dance company and challenging black and white stereotypes. In discussing Pomare's history, I will consider his role in challenging racial segregation in the Australian cultural establishment through the discourses of black power and modern dance embodiment;; strategies which have been adopted subsequently by indigenous dance practices.
