![]() Born on Valentines day in New York City, Overton began her career in the chorus of Black. It continued to be performed in dance contests by African Americans to white audiences with the best performers awarded cake. Singer, dancer, actress and choreographer. It is unclear whether the slave holders understood the connotation but nevertheless enjoyed the performances so much that they held contests for the performers.Īfter emancipation, this dance grew in popularity. The dance involved couples in square formations, strutting, prancing and high kicking. ![]() The Cake-walk was originally performed by enslaved people who mocked and mimicked the slaveholders and high society. Aida Overton Walker (14 February 1880 11 October 1914), also billed as Ada Overton Walker and as The Queen of the Cakewalk, was an African-American. She was known as the Queen of the Cake-Walk which was a dance craze that swept America & Europe in the early 1900s. Wish you were here focuses on the work of Aida Overton Walker, the celebrated African American vaudeville performer who challenged the rigid and problematic narratives of black performers. "Unless we learn the lesson of self-appreciation and practice it, we shall spend our lives imitating other people and deprecating ourselves." - Aida Overton Walker ![]() The resulting series was named Wish You Were Here (2020). From a daughter of a seamstress and waiter to The Queen of the Cakewalk, Aida Overton Walker was one of the first international black performers. In 2019 The Hyman Collection commissioned Heather Agyepong to respond to early twentieth century postcard imagery reflecting the dance craze in Europe, The Cake Walk. This colorfully illustrated biography depicts Aida Overton Walkers glamorous stage life and her contributions to breaking stereotypes of black women.
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