Dance in a World of Change

Dance in a World of Change: Reflections on Globalization and Cultural Difference will help you

-understand how dance instruction is affected by globalization;

-discover the ways in which the discourse and curriculum of dance connect it to the critical, political, moral, and aesthetic dimensions of contemporary society; and

-learn from the rich and generative set of experiences of international dance educators, choreographers, critics, and scholars.

Dance in a World of Change: Reflections on Globalization and Cultural Difference presents a range of international perspectives on dance pedagogy, the body, performance, and dance and culture. The text expands the discourse of dance that connects it to the critical, political, moral, and aesthetic dimensions of contemporary society, and it explores how globalization is influencing and shaping the future of dance.

The contributing writers hail from around the world: South Africa, Brazil, Croatia, Ireland, Canada, Taiwan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Holland, Jamaica, and the United States. They bring their distinguished records as dance educators, choreographers, critics, and scholars to this book as they address

-a form of human empowerment or cultural resistance;

-a means of recognizing diverse cultural experience and communicating common humanity;

-an expression of social conflict, injustice, violence, and marginalization; and

-an educational process that transcends the particular and encompasses commonality.

As growing connections between diverse communities transform our sensibilities, people's assumptions about what is good and bad, beautiful and ugly, or rational and irrational are often challenged. The changes that result can produce new and sometimes startling forms of art, create new identities formed from disparate histories and experiences, and help people rethink how they came to value one dance form over another. As new forms of dance expression are created, dance educators are using these changes to illustrate to their students what they might mean.

For example, cultural borrowing in dance and pedagogy has evoked questions concerning the meaning of the tradition itself: What is African dance? Is it African dance if it is taught by a non-African? Does it remain a cultural dance if it is performed simply as a dance and no longer as a story of the people? This text helps dance educators celebrate cultural traditions while recognizing the forces and forms that bridge our common experience.

In part I of this book, contributors explore how traditional dance forms are being shaped by the global dance environment and how this environment is influencing new forms of popular dance. Part II takes a look at sexual orientation, racism, and prejudice and challenges the assumptions of what is normative. Multicultural issues as they relate to dance pedagogy are examined in part III, and part IV helps readers to transcend the differences between cultures and embrace the commonalities shared through dance.

Each chapter includes an introduction and ending reflections that provide insight and create a place for dialogue. References, which are grouped by chapter at the end of the book, provide additional information for follow-up.

Dance in a World of Change is a catalyst for new thinking about dance among teachers, choreographers, and scholars in the field. Readers will experience the passion and excitement of the contributing writers, who delineate the connections that help form a global community.