From healing, fertility and religious rituals, through theatrical entertainment, to death ceremonies and ancestor worship, World Dance Cultures introduces an extraordinary variety of dance forms practiced around the world. Organised both by region and by historical, political and religious issues, this volume is divided into 8 sections, complemented by over 100 full-colour images: India: devotion, dance, and mythology
Bali and Java: from temple, to village, to court
Cambodia and China: dance as a political tool
Japanese noh, kabuki, and butoh: entertaining samurai, merchants, and rebels
Hawai'i, Aotearoa/New Zealand, and Papua New Guinea: guardians of culture
Africa: fertility festivals, death ceremonies, and ancestor worship
North Africa, Turkey, and Spain: healing, worship, and expression
Native America, the Caribbean, South America: resistance, spirituality, and spectacle. Each section contains key points and trends
discussion questions
historical documentation and anthropological accounts of dance forms
and first-hand accounts from practitioners, along with suggestions for further reading and viewing. Offering a comprehensive overview of each dance form covered, World Dance Cultures is an essential introductory resource for students and instructors alike.
Includes bibliographical references and index.