Singer of the Unsung

Hello Tumblr-folks!

I'm posting this on behalf of my amazingly wonderful friend Shantá who is currently in Scotland working on her Master's Degree. And that means writing a dissertation. Which in her case means doing research.

I know how the web of shares works on Tumblr and I am hoping that we can share this far and wide so that it will come across the dashs of those who fit her demographic.

So if you ARE a Black educator (you don't have to be American) who teaches or has taught English in Asia, PLEASE click the link and fill out the questionnaire. Research Study

If you DON'T fit that demographic PLEASE share this post so that it can make it to the right eyes.

I have been talking up how helpful all of our followers and mutuals on Tumblr are with this kind of thing, so let's show off how great we are!

Without further ado, here is a little intro from my badass bestie:

Hi! My name is Shantá and I am a postgraduate student at the University of Aberdeen in Scotland. I am from the States, but relocated to the UK to pursue my master's degree in Global Business Communication. After successfully passing all my courses in the first term, I am now spending the summer working on my dissertation, which centers the lived experiences of Black educators teaching English in Asia. My focus is primarily for those with experience in TESOL/TEFL spaces, but I am open to participants in the JET Program or other programs where you were/are teaching English in an Asian country.

You may be wondering, what this has to do with my specific program. Since English is often considered the "global language of business," I am investigating who gets to be the face of this global language.

If you or someone you know has this specific background and experience and would like to contribute to this research study, please complete the attached/enclosed questionnaire. Please note that the questionnaire will be available online until 23:59 BST on 28 July 2026

Although the questionnaire outlines pertinent information on the privacy policy as well as the data collection and use, I understand you may have some additional questions about the research study. If so, please feel free to send me an email at d.mcdonaldbey.25 (at) abdn.ac.uk

Thank you!

Research Study

Go forth and share!

Today we found our answer:

The short, simple version is this:

There’s a splinter group of ultra conservative (religiously and politically) “Catholics” who have for several decades claimed that the Church has strayed from the true Catholicism since the Vatican II reforms of the mid 20th century. They have been warned about their actions by multiple popes at this point.

The breaking point this week was that they consecrated bishops within their sect after being expressly forbidden to do so by Pope Leo. Essentially this group is denying that the current pope is truly part of the succession of St Peter — more or less they’re saying the pope isn’t Catholic enough.

This may not seem like a huge deal from the outside, but it is essentially treasonous in terms of severity. So they have been kicked out of the Catholic church.

If I tell you this is a horror dance number it still won't prepare you. That last move was so terrifying even the judge was like "Let go! Let go!" If you told me they're actually possessed I'd believe you.

The music is a remix of the song Mere Dholna from the Bollywood movie Bhool Bhulaiyya, a remake of the classic Malayalam horror-comedy Manichitrathazhu. It's about a young bride that seemingly becomes possessed of Manjulika, a dancer of the ancient royal court whose tragic death has turned her into a vengeful spirit, one who evokes the wrath of the goddess Durga Kali. In the iconic scene that is repeated across remakes, the groom and his family discover his bride dancing in the dead of night in a manic, disassociative fugue, wearing a moth-eaten dancer's costume and a face smeared in kohl, ash and vermilion. She's hallucinating that she's Manjulika dancing carefree for the court with her lover. The upbeat music is deliberately incongruous with the pathos and creepiness of the scene in reality, especially as it crescendos in the bride's head to the moment when the king decapitates Manjulika's beloved in a fit of jealous rage.

This specific number is by the all-male troupe B Unique, performed for the Indian reality talent contest Hunabaarz. It's a modern fusion based on Bharatnatyam that turns up the creep factor by 200% and is basically a showcase of contortionism and synchronicity. One of the most perfectly choreographed and executed dances I have ever seen. Truly incredible!