Raquel Monroe joins the College of Fine Arts as the Associate Dean of Graduate Education and Academic Affairs and a Professor in Theatre and Dance. Monroe, Ph.D., is an interdisciplinary performance scholar/artist/administrator and mother whose research interests include black social dance, queer black feminisms, popular culture, and the efficacy of collaboration to create social change. Monroe’s scholarship appears in journals and anthologies on race, sexuality, dance and popular culture.
Tell us about the classes you’ll be teaching this year.
I plan to teach Queer Black Feminist Performance Praxis course for graduate students and upper division undergrads. The course queries Queer Black Feminism and its influence on social movements and movement. Students will explore historical and contemporary Black Feminist theory and collaborate to create interdisciplinary performance and visual art informed by what they read, listen to, and watch
What attracted you to the Department of Theatre and Dance and The University of Texas at Austin?
I love the faculty, students, and the depth of the department. I am scholar/artist/administrator and the department provides the space for me to “flex” and explore all of my interests. Performance as Public Practice, the MFA in Dance and Social Justice, and the Theatre for Young Audience programs for example, all speak to my experiences a writer, improviser, and collaborator for multi-generational artists.
How did your professional pathway lead to your focus?
I always seek opportunities that allow me to be my full self. I want to discuss ideas, liberate the oppressed, write, dance, and make art with like-minded people.
What’s something that students and colleagues should know about you
I am a curious, people person.
What do you enjoy doing when you’re not teaching/researching/working?
I like to laugh, dance salsa and house. I enjoy hiking, yoga, and I’m learning Animal Flow. But I’m mostly spending time at home with my ten-year old daughter. She’s a competitive gymnast so I will be traveling around Central Texas watching her compete.