Mark Broomfield, PhD, MFA, Associate Professor of English, and the Founder and Director of Performance as Social Change at SUNY Geneseo, is an award-winning scholar and artist with publications in the areas of race, gender, sexuality, dance, and ethnography. Broomfield was born in London, England to Jamaican parents who emigrated to the Bronx, New York.

''Black Queer Dance is a meticulous exploration into the lives of black male dancers. With vibrant narratives, Broomfield’s scholarship allows the black queer dance experience to shine. This book is the light. I can’t wait to see how powerful the next generation of dancers become after reading this book.''Harper Watters, Principal Dancer, Houston Ballet“Black Queer Dance is the book that we didn’t realize we needed. Deftly navigating the terrain of lived experience, queer theory, and masculinity studies, Broomfield introduces a framework to help us think about gender performativity beyond received cultural binaries that reduce queer black men to mere spectacle. To riff on a popular black colloquialism, he clearly understood the assignment.“David Ikard, Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies, Vanderbilt University 'Mark Broomfield’s Black Queer Dance: Gay Men and the Politics of Passing for Almost Straight stands as a seminal contribution to the otherwise limited discourse on masculinity in dance, particularly from the perspectives of queer Black male dance artists. Black Queer Dance is invaluable for its authentic voice and poignant explorations, offering readers a rare view into the diverse lives and struggles faced by queer Black men in the dance community.Broomfield's text not only enriches our understanding of dance and masculinity but also serves as a beacon for those seeking to comprehend the layered realities of intersectional identities. This work is both a critical academic resource and a heartfelt testament to the resilience and creativity of queer Black male dance artists.'James Frazier, EdD, MFA, Dean of Fine Arts, College of Fine Arts, Florida State University'Mark Broomfield's Black Queer Dance: Gay Men and the Politics of Passing for Almost Straight is both an academic text and a memoir. Through theory, personal stories, and dialogues with leaders in the field, Broomfield amplifies the voices of a frequently seen but seldom heard figure. By sharing these powerful stories, Broomfield provides Black queer men dancers with the language to articulate their experiences and the agency to fully exist and thrive in their authenticity both on stage and off. The book serves as a mirror, compelling readers to confront complex questions about race, gender performance, and sexuality. Broomfield's work is a significant contribution to the ongoing discourse about the evolution of Black masculinity.'Johnnie Ray Kornegay, III - Deputy Director for Strategy and Impact, Counter Narrative Project (CNP)

• AcknowledgementsPrologueIntroductionChapter 1. Passing for Almost Straight and Strategic Performances of MasculinityChapter 2. Breaking the Fourth Wall of GenderChapter 3. Just Like a GirlChapter 4. “Carrying On” Through the Silence: Alvin Ailey’s Black Queer LegacyChapter 5. Policing Masculinity: What Gender Nonconformity Can Teach Us in the ClassroomEpilogueIndex

Mark Broomfield, PhD, MFA, Associate Professor of English, and the Founder and Director of Performance as Social Change at SUNY Geneseo, is an award-winning scholar and artist with publications in the areas of race, gender, sexuality, dance, and ethnography. Broomfield was born in London, England to Jamaican parents who emigrated to the Bronx, New York.

''Black Queer Dance is a meticulous exploration into the lives of black male dancers. With vibrant narratives, Broomfield’s scholarship allows the black queer dance experience to shine. This book is the light. I can’t wait to see how powerful the next generation of dancers become after reading this book.''Harper Watters, Principal Dancer, Houston Ballet“Black Queer Dance is the book that we didn’t realize we needed. Deftly navigating the terrain of lived experience, queer theory, and masculinity studies, Broomfield introduces a framework to help us think about gender performativity beyond received cultural binaries that reduce queer black men to mere spectacle. To riff on a popular black colloquialism, he clearly understood the assignment.“David Ikard, Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies, Vanderbilt University 'Mark Broomfield’s Black Queer Dance: Gay Men and the Politics of Passing for Almost Straight stands as a seminal contribution to the otherwise limited discourse on masculinity in dance, particularly from the perspectives of queer Black male dance artists. Black Queer Dance is invaluable for its authentic voice and poignant explorations, offering readers a rare view into the diverse lives and struggles faced by queer Black men in the dance community.Broomfield's text not only enriches our understanding of dance and masculinity but also serves as a beacon for those seeking to comprehend the layered realities of intersectional identities. This work is both a critical academic resource and a heartfelt testament to the resilience and creativity of queer Black male dance artists.'James Frazier, EdD, MFA, Dean of Fine Arts, College of Fine Arts, Florida State University'Mark Broomfield's Black Queer Dance: Gay Men and the Politics of Passing for Almost Straight is both an academic text and a memoir. Through theory, personal stories, and dialogues with leaders in the field, Broomfield amplifies the voices of a frequently seen but seldom heard figure. By sharing these powerful stories, Broomfield provides Black queer men dancers with the language to articulate their experiences and the agency to fully exist and thrive in their authenticity both on stage and off. The book serves as a mirror, compelling readers to confront complex questions about race, gender performance, and sexuality. Broomfield's work is a significant contribution to the ongoing discourse about the evolution of Black masculinity.'Johnnie Ray Kornegay, III - Deputy Director for Strategy and Impact, Counter Narrative Project (CNP)

• AcknowledgementsPrologueIntroductionChapter 1. Passing for Almost Straight and Strategic Performances of MasculinityChapter 2. Breaking the Fourth Wall of GenderChapter 3. Just Like a GirlChapter 4. “Carrying On” Through the Silence: Alvin Ailey’s Black Queer LegacyChapter 5. Policing Masculinity: What Gender Nonconformity Can Teach Us in the ClassroomEpilogueIndex

Mark Broomfield, PhD, MFA, Associate Professor of English, and the Founder and Director of Performance as Social Change at SUNY Geneseo, is an award-winning scholar and artist with publications in the areas of race, gender, sexuality, dance, and ethnography. Broomfield was born in London, England to Jamaican parents who emigrated to the Bronx, New York.

''Black Queer Dance is a meticulous exploration into the lives of black male dancers. With vibrant narratives, Broomfield’s scholarship allows the black queer dance experience to shine. This book is the light. I can’t wait to see how powerful the next generation of dancers become after reading this book.''Harper Watters, Principal Dancer, Houston Ballet“Black Queer Dance is the book that we didn’t realize we needed. Deftly navigating the terrain of lived experience, queer theory, and masculinity studies, Broomfield introduces a framework to help us think about gender performativity beyond received cultural binaries that reduce queer black men to mere spectacle. To riff on a popular black colloquialism, he clearly understood the assignment.“David Ikard, Professor of African American and Diaspora Studies, Vanderbilt University 'Mark Broomfield’s Black Queer Dance: Gay Men and the Politics of Passing for Almost Straight stands as a seminal contribution to the otherwise limited discourse on masculinity in dance, particularly from the perspectives of queer Black male dance artists. Black Queer Dance is invaluable for its authentic voice and poignant explorations, offering readers a rare view into the diverse lives and struggles faced by queer Black men in the dance community.Broomfield's text not only enriches our understanding of dance and masculinity but also serves as a beacon for those seeking to comprehend the layered realities of intersectional identities. This work is both a critical academic resource and a heartfelt testament to the resilience and creativity of queer Black male dance artists.'James Frazier, EdD, MFA, Dean of Fine Arts, College of Fine Arts, Florida State University'Mark Broomfield's Black Queer Dance: Gay Men and the Politics of Passing for Almost Straight is both an academic text and a memoir. Through theory, personal stories, and dialogues with leaders in the field, Broomfield amplifies the voices of a frequently seen but seldom heard figure. By sharing these powerful stories, Broomfield provides Black queer men dancers with the language to articulate their experiences and the agency to fully exist and thrive in their authenticity both on stage and off. The book serves as a mirror, compelling readers to confront complex questions about race, gender performance, and sexuality. Broomfield's work is a significant contribution to the ongoing discourse about the evolution of Black masculinity.'Johnnie Ray Kornegay, III - Deputy Director for Strategy and Impact, Counter Narrative Project (CNP)

• AcknowledgementsPrologueIntroductionChapter 1. Passing for Almost Straight and Strategic Performances of MasculinityChapter 2. Breaking the Fourth Wall of GenderChapter 3. Just Like a GirlChapter 4. “Carrying On” Through the Silence: Alvin Ailey’s Black Queer LegacyChapter 5. Policing Masculinity: What Gender Nonconformity Can Teach Us in the ClassroomEpilogueIndex