This introduction to world dance charts the diverse histories and stories of dancers and artists through ten key moments that have shaped the vast spectrum of different forms and genres that we see today.
Designed for weekly use in dance history courses, ten chosen milestones move chronologically from the earliest indigenous rituals and the dance crazes of Eastern trade routes, to the social justice performance and evolving online platforms of modern times. This clear, dynamic framework uses the idea of migrations to chart the shifting currents of influence and innovation in dance from an inclusive set of perspectives that acknowledge the enduring cultural legacies on display in every dance form.
Milestones are a range of accessible textbooks, breaking down the need-to-know moments in the social, cultural, political, and artistic development of foundational subject areas.
1. Indigenous Dances: Lakota Bodies and Lands on and as the Frontlines
Tria Blu Wakpa
2. Silk Road: Commerce, Conquest, and College
Laurel Victoria Gray
3. Dance in the African Diaspora
Joanna Dee Das
4. Ballet: From Louis XIV to Misty Copeland
Sekani Robinson
5. Modern and Postmodern Dance: War and Choreography in the 20th and 21st centuries
Kate Mattingly
6. Dance and Social Justice: Retracing the Steps of Michio Itō
Dana Tai Soon Burgess
7. Dance as Healing: Unearthing Therapeutic Modalities
Giselle Ruzany
8. Dance on Film -- From Busby Berkeley to Bollywood
Kathryn Boland
9. Intersecting body and machine: tracing the emergence of dance technology
Maria Francisca Morand
10. The Future of Dance: Moving Through Time and Space
Monique George
Biography
Dana Tai Soon Burgess is the Smithsonian Institution’s first ever choreographer in residence based at the National Portrait Gallery. He is the artistic director of Washington, DC's premiere modern dance company, Dana Tai Soon Burgess Dance Company, now in its 30th season. He is a professor of dance at The George Washington University and host of The Slant Podcast.
"Milestones in Dance History is an important resource for challenging dominant approaches to dance history, useful for classroom instruction and beyond. The textbook is a valuable addition to any dance history course and its content might also contribute to learning in history, cultural studies, ethnic studies, and area studies fields. Its accessible language, straightforward structure, and compelling chapter content would make for an excellent entry point into the field of dance studies."
Miya Shaffer, Dance Chronicle, USA
