Dance Cultures Around the World

Written by a diverse group of authors from across the globe, Dance Cultures Around the World offers students a rich and in-depth look at 25 different cultures of dance. Through a dynamic collaboration with the chapter authors, editors Lynn E. Frederiksen and Shih-Ming Li Chang have carefully created a unique multimedia resource that includes vetted links to dance videos, images, and other materials. The text, suitable for high school and undergraduate general education and dance courses, addresses cross-cultural dynamics, colonialism, diaspora, politics, and more as critical factors in learning about cultures of dance around the world.

As stated in the preface, “Every culture has some form of dance. However, why people dance—and further, how they define and create dance—are the difficult questions at the core of this text. Once you understand why dance exists and examine the factors that explain particular dance forms, you can engage more fully with many cultures of dance, including your own.”

Written by cultural insiders, the chapters illuminate contexts and histories of dances often misinterpreted through the notion of dance as a universal language. “Just as you would not expect to understand a foreign language simply because it is human speech, you cannot expect to understand foreign dance without some ‘translation. The multiple layers of meaning and history in foreign dances are often left unrevealed, and therefore the opportunity for true cross-cultural understanding is missed.” To ensure rich cross-cultural engagement, the insiders “translate” their dance cultures, showing how influential forces affect both the qualities of the dance and its place in society.

Dance Cultures Around the World offers a wealth of information::

• It explores dance cultures in nine geopolitical regions.
• It reveals patterns that operate in each region, adjusting for historical, political, and geographical differences.
• It enriches the readers experience of their own culture, as well as those of others, as they learn what dance is in various cultures, who dances, and why they dance.

Each chapter begins with a vignette describing a signature dance or dance-related feature of the culture, followed by an introduction to its history and geography. Significant events, people, and qualities of the dance culture are highlighted throughout the chapters.

Instructors and students have access to online resources through HKPropel. Instructor resources include a sample syllabus, chapter summaries, and suggested answers for chapter discussion questions; a presentation package with PowerPoint slides; a test package with over 700 multiple-choice, true-false, and fill-in-the-blank questions; and ready-made chapter quizzes. Student resources include links to videos, articles, and websites for further learning; key terms and definitions; references and resources; an application activity for each chapter; and chapter quizzes.

Dance Cultures Around the World gives readers an overview of dance cultures and provides an insiders perspective on how dance develops and evolves around the world. Together with the online resources in HKPropel, the book gives students and instructors a well-crafted gateway to dance cultures across the globe.

Note:: A code for accessing HKPropel is included with all print books.