Morgan Bullock, 21, of Richmond, was just a little girl when she saw Irish step dancing for the first time.
“I remember how energetic it was, and the bright dress, and it just was something I’d never seen before,” Bullock said in an interview with BBC News. “It became a huge part of my life.”
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.
“Yeah, I was always the only one in my class,” she said, “It’s hard to miss someone who’s African American. I don’t think I ever considered it an issue. It was definitely something I took note of. But I’ve grown up in a predominantly white area, so it wasn’t something that I was uncomfortable about.”
Recently, she posted a Tik Tok video of her performing Irish step dancing to the song “I’m a Savage” by Megan Thee Stallion.
While most of the responses to her video were positive and encouraging, others were not so nice.
“Early on, shortly after posting it some people were saying that what I was doing was cultural appropriation,” she said. “Just because I don’t look like what you would typically picture an Irish dancer to look like.”
@yourangleyuordevil##irishdance ##fyp ##keepingactive ##spacethings ##foryou♬ Savage Remix – Megan Thee Stallion
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’s not what she’s doing.
“It’s important for people to recognize there’s a difference between appropriation and appreciation,” 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.)
“’Riverdance’ was like the end goal for me for dancing. So, the opportunity to perform with ‘Riverdance’ is amazing,” Bullock said.
Irish Prime Minister Micheál Martin has invited Bullock to visit for Saint Patrick’s Day 2021.
