In the video above, Ted Fellow Camille A. Brown gives a history lesson in African American social dance. She takes us on a journey, showing us how dance took shape as a tool for community and connection.

Giving us a bit of historical context, Brown shows us what would be known as the Juba dance. She explains that the dance allowed enslaved Africans to remember where they were from. A combination of clapping, stomping and slapping helped them avoid the ban slave masters had on drums.

From there, we see the evolution of dance into things like the cabbage patch, bop and the dougie. “The present always contains the past. The past shapes who we are and who we will be,” Brown narrates. And she’s right — this video serves as a history lesson and a reminder of just how amazing we are.

Stay connected to all things Black Twitter, news and the best content on the internet by signing up for Blavity’s newsletter.

ted ed

Get relevant content delivered to you once a week