Music moves us. It can trigger profound emotional experiences and lift our mood. It has the power to bring together people of different races, genders, ethnicities, and religions. And if the music is good, you dance.
Amirah Sackett is an internationally recognized dancer, choreographer, and teacher. A Chicago native, Sackett explores and embodies her Muslim-American identity by combining hip-hop movement and Islamic themes alongside her all-female dance troupe, We’re Muslim, Don’t Panic.
“In 2011, I started just hating the way that Muslim women were being portrayed in the media. I felt that everyone was talking about us, but not to us,” she said. “I realized I had something to say.”
We’re Muslim, Don’t Panic’s routines aim to challenge the way people see Muslim women and to change common stereotypes. The group wears full covering – Niqab, Abaya, and Hijab – to confront unfounded narratives surrounding their religion and cultures.
“I wanted to take that image that the West really freaks out about and make it really powerful and beautiful and strong,” she said.
We’re Muslim, Don’t Panic will perform at Castleton University’s Casella Theater on Nov. 14.
Sackett spent the days leading up to the Soundings event interacting with the Castleton community, including teaching introductory and advanced dance classes, a diversity talkback for first-year students, and having lunch with Muslim students. She also spoke to a freshman-level Women's and Gender Studies class about her career, her religion, and her own identity.
“We can’t control who sees us, we just control how they see us. With the way I’m dressed, you have to look me in my face. For me, that’s a source of feminism,” she said.
In addition to her work as a dancer, choreographer, and teacher, Sackett serves as a cultural diplomat with the U.S. State Department in Bangladesh and Kuwait. She has lectured at colleges and universities across the country, including at Harvard University, and was honored to be a TEDx speaker in 2016.
We’re Muslim, Don’t Panic’s performance begins at 7 p.m.