HBCU Dancelines

Abstract This chapter introduces the preliminary findings of a ten-year research project on Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) Dancelines, a culturally rich and historically rooted jazz dance genre that female auxiliary units of HBCU marching bands shape and perform. It defines HBCU Danceline as a self-actualized form of vernacular jazz dance that fuses Africanist aesthetics, militaristic precision, and bold expressions of Black femininity. The chapter traces the style’s origins to Alcorn State University’s Golden Girls in 1968, who revolutionized halftime performance by replacing baton-twirling with prop-less choreography that reflects Black cultural pride. It also details how dancers forge a communal identity through signature elements, such as stand routines, field shows, parades, and bucking, developed through intense training and performance. Finally, the chapter calls for institutional recognition, cultural respect, and academic validation of HBCU Dance as a distinct, empowering genre.