Vernacular Tradition “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”- Visual

 For my final project, I focused on vernacular tradition, specifically negro spirituals. For this project, I have provided a visual representation of a dance that I performed with my dance studio, Legacy Dance Studio, for our Black History Showcase. For this piece in particular, we performed "Swing Low, Sweet Chariot," a popular spiritual, and one of the dances we perform each year for this showcase. I chose this as my focus because Negro spirituals hold deep meaning in the Black community. This spiritual in particular has a deep history. The biblical connection to the spiritual is found in 2 Kings chapter two, verse eleven through twelve, where a chariot of fire appeared before the prophet Elijah and his son Elisha. The chariot swooped low, and Elijah ascended in a whirlwind to heaven. The refrain of “Swing low” depicts this: Swing low, sweet chariot, coming for to carry me home. Many negro spirituals stand as symbols of strength, hope, and resilience during slavery. These songs were more than just music; they were a way to express faith, pain, and freedom. Negro spirituals often used biblical themes and powerful messages, and over time, they became the foundation for other Black musical vernacular traditions such as gospel, blues, and jazz.  

My dance studio was Christian-based, so we would dance to gospel, negro spirituals, hymns, and we danced at churches in our community. When performing these pieces, it brought together communities of people and allowed people to rejoice and praise the lord.  Music is very important to me and has just been something I have connected with from a young age. My mother always involved me in something that used some type of music; for instance, I was a cheerleader, a baton twirler, and I did dance from the age of eight until I was eighteen years old, practicing many styles like ballet, jazz, hip-hop, liturgical, contemporary, theater jazz, and afrobeat. Dancing at a Black owned dance studio was something very impactful because it’s not often that you see the majority being young black girls in professional dance settings, and to have that experience, I will always cherish.


Brianna Richardson

Vernacular Tradition “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot”

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