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LEGACY AND CONNECTION
BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS
IN CONVERSATION WITH DEBORAH BADDOO MBE
BY JAZLYN PINCKNEY WWW.STATEOFEMERGENCYLTD.COM
Deborah Baddoo MBE, Artistic Director of State of Emergency, co-founded the organisation in 1986 in partnership with Steve Marshall, its Musical Director. State of Emergency is a dance and music production company, producing its own work and establishing a proud history of artist development and advocacy. Deborah was also an integral part of the HOTFOOT team in its early years, and for decades has been at the forefront of progressing opportunities for artists of colour in this country. She speaks with One Dance UK’s Jazlyn Pinckney about achievement, visibility for Black dance artists, and some exciting new projects.
As State of Emergency celebrates 35 years in 2021, what are some of the achievements you personally have seen, and those of the sector more broadly?
Co-Mission (2015) © Katherine Brillhart
Where is Home? (2016) © Kevin Clifford
Generally, there are more opportunities for Black artists, more diverse companies, more representation of Black dancers in conservatoires. There is also more recognition for the achievements of Black artists. Things have been slow to change. There was a flurry of activity and a lot of virtue signalling as a result of raising awareness after George Floyd’s murder and the Black Lives Matter movement, with some senior appointments made, not necessarily in dance but more in theatre. Theatre is definitely leading the way in diversifying its workforce, particularly at senior level.
Mission Possible (2008) © Irven Lewis
However, if you look across the senior management teams and boards of many established Arts Council England (ACE) funded organisations, the picture is still more or less the same as it was 35 years ago. This is especially true in non-urban regional areas where I have lived for the last 25 years. Things here seem to be more at a standstill where the makeup of organisations are often 100% white.
