Youth Spaces and the Power and Possibility of Performance
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PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 4 Youth Spaces and the Power and Possibility of Performance By Joe Cytrynbaum While the previous two chapters tive projects (Weis & Fine, 2000). develop a framework that could focus analyzed the limits of Franklin High’s Nonetheless, the work that takes place and deepen my analysis of the forms approach to bringing students together in youth spaces is never simple, and of cultural production in these spaces. across lines of difference, this chapter always fraught with contradictions: Lyric and Asian American Stud- looks closely at two spaces where stu- [We] acknowledge that there are ies had certain things in common: dents engaged in practices and forms no neutral spaces, that all spaces students created both; both involved of cultural production with transfor- are ‘political’ insofar as they are performance; and both provided op- mative possibilities. Throughout the infused with questions of power portunities for meaningful engagement research process I looked for spaces and privilege. All spaces suffer the with forms of difference. On the other where youth were, in fact, making burdens of social contradictions. hand, three important differences dis- the most of the opportunity to attend None are insulated from racism, tinguished the spaces: one site was a a school with peers from across the sexism, homophobia, and clas- class, the other an extracurricular ac- city, and from across the myriad de- sism. As such, all spaces carry the tivity; one site was facilitated by a sup- mographics that constitute Franklin’s capacity and power to enable, re- portive adult, while the other was com- student body. Specifically, I sought strict, applaud, stigmatize, erase, pletely student run; finally, one focused out spaces where youth came together or complicate threads of youth on the experiences of a particular racial for one of two important purposes: identity and their ethical commit- group while the other centered on a to cross boundaries of difference or ments (Weis & Fine, 2000, p. xiii). popular form of youth culture. In this to affirm and re-imagine identities. I chapter, I describe each youth space glimpsed a variety of spaces within Indeed, Lyric provides an example separately, focusing my analysis on one Franklin High where students engaged of how a youth popular culture form key performance in each: the cipher, an in one or both of these two tasks, but can play a contradictory and at times improvisational rap performance, and the two spaces I discuss in this chapter reproductive role in structuring per- the performance project that I devel- capture best the limits and possibilities formative forms of cultural production oped with the Asian American Studies of such spaces. Specifically, these spac- in a youth space that brings students teacher and his students. I conclude es highlight how performative forms of together across lines of difference. the chapter with a brief discussion of cultural production both reproduced On the other hand, the Asian Ameri- the role of leadership in structuring and and challenged the dominant institu- can Studies class demonstrates how facilitating the work of youth spaces. tional dynamics with respect to differ- performative forms of cultural pro- ence. Students created and ran one of duction can enhance the transforma- LYRIC the spaces, Lyric, an after school hip- tive possibilities of spaces for youth. hop club. The other space, an Asian Building on the youth spaces litera- Rap, for the most part, was the com- American Studies class, came into ex- ture, I use Conquergood’s (1989; 1991; mon ground that was responsible istence through the collective efforts of 1992) synthesis of performance theory for bringing us all together into one a group of Asian American students. as a framework for discussing the role big posse. Earlier cliques separated As I discussed in chapter one, a na- of performance in Lyric and the Asian girls from boys, the youngest from scent body of theory and research on American Studies class. By focusing on the oldest. We’d come together for youth and schooling documents and the role of performance, I demonstrate the sake of rap. Whether young or analyzes the power and possibility of how performance theory can enrich the old, male or female, if you could re- spaces created for and by youth (Fine, important scholarship on youth spaces. cite the lyrics to ‘Rapper’s Delight’ Weiss, & Powell, 1997; Weis & Cen- Moreover, I call attention to how forms in its entirety, you were the shit. trie, 2002; Weis & Fine, 2000). This of performance can play a significant Period. (T-Love, 1993, P. 309). work calls attention to the important role in supporting the social and aca- identity work and educative practices demic work that takes place in such But I didn’t infiltrate black teen- that take place in such spaces, and it spaces. In addition, both the performa- age society instantly. Much of my highlights how they can provide mean- tive nature of Lyric activities, and the initiation came from the loose-knit ingful opportunities for youth to cross use of student generated performances bunch of kids at my school who borders, resist forms of oppression, as the culminating project for the Asian were into hip-hop. Partly popular, and imagine and initiate transforma- American Studies course pushed me to partly outcasts, our interracial band PERSPECTIVES ON URBAN EDUCATION FALL 2010 | PAGE 5 of troublemakers grew up on hip- couraged me to attend that day’s after “I say ‘community’; you say ‘service.’ hop together (Wimsatt, 1994, p.25). school meeting; in the months that fol- Community’!” and we all shouted, “Ser- lowed, he provided me with a wealth of vice!” He then said, “When I say ‘not When I first saw flyers up around information on the club and its history. for’, you say ‘profit’. Not for!” and we school describing a hip-hop club and As school ended later that day, I had all shouted “Profit!” Everyone clapped inviting “poets, MC’s, writers, break- no trouble finding the Lyric meeting; as Jamal turned off the music. Next, a ers” and others to come to Lyric, I thumping beats pulled me down the tall, slender white male student with sensed that this might offer a space for hallway to the spot. The meeting was thick, wavy brown hair and a thick tuft me to learn something about race, cul- held in an unassuming classroom with of facial hair on his chin introduced ture, and a particular kind of diversity desks arrayed in a U shape, the open himself as Yoseph, “a senior, and presi- experience. I knew from my own past end of the U facing the front of the dent of Lyric.” He explained that the experiences that hip-hop has this way room. Passing through a group of Af- meeting would begin by going around of moving across racial, ethnic, and rican American male students congre- the room and having everyone say their class lines, bringing people together gated around the door, I made my way name, class, and what teacher would to share in the pleasure of the music into the room and took a seat in one of be the best emcee (rapper). I counted and linguistic play, while also raising the desks. Several students sat in desks twenty-four people present, with sev- contentious issues around race, class, or leaned against the windowsill, while eral more arriving during the meeting. and gender. Hip-hop always struck me two white male students and Jamal After the introductions, Yoseph said, as a cultural movement that seemed caught my attention as they free-style “We’re gonna start the meeting with to attract attention through its abil- rapped to beats emanating from a small the poets.” He then invited anyone who ity to synthesize provocative themes boom box. They stood in the front of had prepared a poem to take the floor. with urgency and pleasure. Indeed, the room and swayed to the beat, tak- An African American female stu- scholars have explored how hip-hop, ing turns rhyming. Discussing the dent with hair partially dyed dark red a cultural form grounded in Afro-Ca- role of freestyling in rap, hip-hop art- stood and moved to the front of the ribbean, Latino, and African American ist T-Love (1992) offers the following: room. She looked at Yoseph and asked urban cultural production (George, Freestyling is the ability to rhyme him if she was allowed to curse, and 1998; Perkins, 1996; Rose, 1994), has straight from the top of your head, he said yes. She prefaced her piece found resonance across lines of class, as opposed to rappin’ lyrics which by stating that the poem was, “From race, gender, and geography both in have been previously written and a ho’s perspective.” She rocked back America (Cross, 1994; Forman, 2000; memorized, or ‘from page’ as some and forth a bit and gesticulated as Wimsatt, 1994; Guevara, 1996) and in- MCs would word it. Done to a she shared her poem about sex, abor- ternationally (Bennett, 1999a, 1999b; funky instrumental beat, or to hu- tion, and conflicts over men. The Condry, 2000; Mitchell, 1995). For man beat box, even done a cap- poem struck me as powerful, incisive, all these reasons, Lyric caught my in- pella, it is rapping in its freest and intense as well as sophisticated terest because it sounded like a space form and where rap, as we know it and lyrical. Everyone clapped for her. that might provide a glimpse beneath today, has evolved from (p.306). Next, a white student named the surface of Franklin’s diversity nar- Bridgett, a South Steps regular, walked rative through which I might better Freestyling constituted the up front and opened a notebook I often understand how students managed the main activity of the cipher, the per- saw writing in, and proceeded to read opportunities and challenges of com- formative practice I detail below.