Tri-state Area Soul Line Dancing Project to be Archived at the Library of Congress
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WASHINGTON - Washingtoner -- Black history will be in the making as soul line dancers, DJs, choreographers, instructors, and enthusiasts gather for a dance party at the Library of Congress in Washington, DC on Thursday, February 27, 2025. The party celebrates the official archiving of the "Soul Line Dancing in Philadelphia, New Jersey, and Delaware" project as an American folk-art form.

This free event will take place inside the Library of Congress, Jefferson Great Hall, 10 First Street, SE, Washington, DC 20540, from 5:30 PM – 8:00 PM. The historic event features soul line dance instruction from Philadelphia-based teachers Gloria Kingcade and Theresa Brown. Soul line dance step assistance will be provided on the floor. Kenneth "Kenny J." Johnson, a well-known soul line dance instructor will emcee the event, while AJ the DJ and DJ Chris Blues will keep the party going with plenty of line dance music. Event hosts are grant winner/researcher, Karen "Queen Nur" Abdul-Malik, and soul line dance instructor, Aline Goodman.

About the Community Collections Project

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The community collections project was made possible through the Library of Congress' "Of the People: Widening the Path" initiative, a multi-year program designed to create new opportunities for Americans to engage with the Library and contribute their perspectives to its collections, ensuring a more inclusive representation of American stories.

Karen "Queen Nur" Abdul-Malik, 2022 recipient of an American Folklife Center Community Collections Grant, was selected from over 180 applicants nationwide to document the thriving artistic culture of soul line dance in the tri-state area. Only ten projects were chosen for this prestigious grant. Soul line dance, also known as urban line dance, is a popular form of social dance characterized by choreographed steps performed in lines to soul, R&B, hip-hop, and gospel music.

In 2022 Abdul-Malik formed Community on the Line, an interdisciplinary project team composed of local members of the urban line dance community. From 2022 to 2023, the team collected nearly 1000 community files, including oral histories with soul line dance practitioners, instructional classes, photographs of events and interviews. This documentation revealed the vibrant history of urban line dance in the tri-state area, capturing a lively African-American art form, encompassing dance, music, language, fashion, social gatherings, and celebrations.

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"The importance of having this collection at the Library of Congress is to raise awareness of traditional culture keepers and provide documented research for understanding the study and impact of the R&B/Soul line dance community," says Abdul-Malik.

More Information About the Library of Congress Event
The Library of Congress event is free and open to the public, but registration is required. Buses have been chartered for urban line dancers to travel from Philadelphia and New Jersey to Washington, DC on February 27th. Maryland soul line dance organization, Bout Dat Dance (BDD) will host the after-party at VFW Post 96 196527 Suitland Road, Morningside, MD 20745.

Library of Congress Registration and Community Collections Photo Gallery
For event registration and additional information about the event, please visit innovativefact.org. A photo gallery representing the community collections project is also available through the website.