Answer:
The Black Theatre, Music and Dance have been extremely important to the creation of African American culture and in distinguishing it from European culture in the United States. Some key ways:
1) They provided a form of self-expression that was uniquely African in origin and shaped by the experience of slavery and oppression. The rhythms, movements and stories drew from African traditions adapted to the New World. This gave African Americans a cultural identity distinct from European Americans.
2) They reinforced a sense of community and shared history among African Americans, allowing them to preserve aspects of their African heritage and roots despite the trauma of being forcibly brought to America. The performances became a way to celebrate Black identity, resilience and humanity.
3) They acted as a means of resistance and protest against the injustices of slavery and segregation. Through songs, storytelling and dance, African Americans voiced their struggles and aspirations for freedom. The performances became acts of defiance.
4) They blended African and American cultural influences in new and innovative ways, giving rise to truly hybrid creations like jazz, blues, spirituals and other art forms that originated within the Black community. This infusion of African and American influences characterized African American culture.
5) In contrast, the cultural expressions of European indentured servants and immigrants were more directly transplanted from European roots with less adaptation and blending with American influences. Their cultures remained closer to those of their homelands.
So in summary, the Black Theatre, Music and Dance that arose from the African American experience of slavery, oppression and cultural fusion came to define African American culture and set it distinctly apart from European culture in the United States. The expressions celebrated African heritage within an American context.