Moving History/Dancing Cultures: A Dance History Reader [Hardcover]

Ann Dils (Editor), Ann Cooper Albright (Editor)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 19, 2001

A comprehensive and multifaceted anthology of dance history -- ideal for the classroom.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Albright (dance, Oberlin Coll.; Choreographing Difference: The Body and Identity in Contemporary Dance) and Dils (dance, Univ. of North Carolina) have compiled an eclectic selection of articles on the world of dance, covering historical, theoretical, and international perspectives. A useful source for academic dance programs, the book includes professors, choreographers, anthropologists, and others among its contributors. "The Belly Dance: Ancient Ritual to Cabaret Performance" and "The Harsh and Splendid Heroines of Martha Graham" are a few representative essays in a book that places a strong emphasis on dance traditions from around the world. Conceived as an alternative to the usual photocopied packet handed out in many university dance classes, this book presents a wide assortment of material in one volume. It also makes a much-needed contribution to dance scholarship. Recommended for academic libraries and specialized collections. Barbara Kundanis, Batavia P.L., IL
Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"A useful source for academic dance programs . . . Conceived as an alternative to the usual photocopied packet handed out in many university dance classes, this book presents a wide assortment of material in one volume. It also makes a much-needed contribution to dance scholarship." --Library Journal --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 544 pages
• Publisher: Wesleyan (October 19, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0819564125
• ISBN-13: 978-0819564122
• Product Dimensions: 10.3 x 8.3 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 3.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,784,741 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Cultural Anthropology NOT Dance History: Biased Agenda, October 19, 2011

By 

dance student - See all my reviews

This review is from: Moving History/Dancing Cultures: A Dance History Reader (Paperback)

The editors of this book want to be cultural anthropologists and have a feminist, anti-ballet agenda. There are over 50 articles in this book and only one is about ballet and it is about travesty dancers during the Romantic Period. Ballet is discussed negatively in several other articles that deal with other forms of dance. There is an article about Lincoln Kirstein who helped George Balanchine found the NYC Ballet, but this article is about Kirstein's desire to be the next Diaghilev, not about the NYC Ballet. What a disappointment that the editors could not have found a better article. There is a section called "America Dancing" that has no articles about dance in Broadway or films; there is no mention of ABT or the NYC Ballet outside the Kirstein/Diaghilev article. Just about every article in this section deals with modern dance. Surely America has more styles of dance than modern. In contrast, over 20 articles deal with dance as cultural anthropology, and four articles deal with contact improvisation, editor Albright's preferred style of dance. Most of the articles are written in a dry, pedantic style that is difficult to read. I had to purchase this book for a dance history course and will be selling it as soon as the semester is over. No one in my class outside of the instructor likes this book.

0 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I thought it would take a while to get here, February 24, 2011

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Nat - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Moving History/Dancing Cultures: A Dance History Reader (Paperback)

But it came faster than I expected. I mean, I thought the price was unbelievable for a textbook, but the timing was the best.

0 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Dance Class, September 24, 2008

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Bex (Baltimore, MD USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Moving History/Dancing Cultures: A Dance History Reader (Paperback)

Came in perfect condition! Though it took a long time to get here, but still arrived within the time frame my shipping alloted, just cut it a little close, luckily it came on time for my class.