Morgan Bullock, 21, of Richmond, was just a little girl when she saw Irish step dancing for the first time.
鈥淚 remember how energetic it was, and the bright dress, and it just was something I鈥檇 never seen before,鈥� Bullock said in an interview with BBC 草莓传媒. 鈥淚t became a huge part of my life.鈥�
She started learning the dance as a child and has been doing it ever since. But being African American with black skin in a form that is traditionally done by those with white skin, she stood out.
鈥淵eah, I was always the only one in my class,鈥� she said, 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to miss someone who鈥檚 African American. I don鈥檛 think I ever considered it an issue. It was definitely something I took note of. But I鈥檝e grown up in a predominantly white area, so it wasn鈥檛 something that I was uncomfortable about.鈥�
Recently, she posted a of her performing Irish step dancing to the song “I鈥檓 a Savage” by Megan Thee Stallion.
While most of the responses to her video were positive and encouraging, others were not so nice.
鈥淓arly on, shortly after posting it some people were saying that what I was doing was cultural appropriation,鈥� she said. 鈥淛ust because I don鈥檛 look like what you would typically picture an Irish dancer to look like.鈥�
She said her understanding of the term is that it means taking something from another culture and claiming it as your own without recognizing where it comes from. But she says that鈥檚 not what she鈥檚 doing.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important for people to recognize there鈥檚 a difference between appropriation and appreciation,鈥� she said.
After the video went viral, she started to get even more attention, but much of it was positive.
The lead dancer of the “Riverdance” touring company has invited her to join them on stage when they perform in Virginia. (The U.S. tour has been postponed because of the coronavirus pandemic; new dates will be announced.)
鈥�’Riverdance’ was like the end goal for me for dancing. So, the opportunity to perform with ‘Riverdance’ is amazing,鈥� Bullock said.
Irish Prime Minister Miche谩l Martin has invited Bullock to visit for Saint Patrick鈥檚 Day 2021.
