The Black Dancing Body: a Geography From Coon to Cool.by Brenda Dixon Gottschild Palgrave Macmillan, October 2003 $29.95, ISBN ISBN abbr. International Standard Book Number ISBN International Standard Book Number ISBN n abbr (= International Standard Book Number) → ISBN m 0-312-24047-3 In today's enlightened society, they are many books available covering nearly every aspect of dance. Few titles, if any, I wager, are as direct, historical, honest, inspirational and thought provoking as Black Dancing Body. The book addresses issues that everyone in the dance world thinks about at some point, but few people are willing to frankly discuss. In Black Dancing Body, Brenda Dixon Gottschild bravely tackles racism, sexism, political agendas and myths, while degantly celebrating the black dancers through history. The book offers insightful interviews with noted choreographers and dancers, including Fernando Bujones Fernando Bujones (March 9, 1955 – November 10, 2005) was a Cuban-American ballet dancer. Born in Miami, Florida to Cuban parents, Bujones is regarded as one of the finest male dancers of the 20th century and hailed as the greatest American male dancer of his generation. , Joan Myers Brown, Garth Fagan, Francesca Harper, Bill T. Jones, Ralph Lemon, Gus Solomons Jr., and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar among others. Gottschild, who is a professor of dance studies at Temple University, holds a mirror to African American African American Multiculture A person having origins in any of the black racial groups of Africa. See Race. society and the oftentimes prejudices of society in general. Whether dancing an African-Irish jig or tap dancing to hip-hop music or dancing the intricate and challenging choreography of George Balan chine chine the animal's backline. , black dancers are undeniably capable of transcending obstacles and prejudices to achieve tree greatness. Indeed, the ways in which black dancers use their bodies to express emotions, to show strength and energy, and to capture an audience are definitely different from their white counterparts. Whether it is anger, defeat, loneliness or longing, according to Gottschild, many black artists draw from their ancestral bloodline blood·line n. The direct line of descent; a pedigree. . For example, Bill T. Jones is quoted as saying that he had "stood on the stage and done and said outrageously transgressive trans·gres·sive adj. 1. Exceeding a limit or boundary, especially of social acceptability. 2. Of or relating to a genre of fiction, filmmaking, or art characterized by graphic depictions of behavior that violates socially things around the issues of race, sex, gender, because of the confidence I have ... You are here because people have been lynched and hung so that you can be here. So when you stand there, boy, you better stand up." Gottschild has written a book that is actually more than just about dance. Black Dancing Body is a guide for which readers can gain much insight into the human soul. Andrea Long is a principal dancer with the Dance Theatre of Harlem Dance Theatre of Harlem, the first black classical ballet company. The group was founded in Harlem, New York City, by Arthur Mitchell, then of the New York City Ballet, the first black principal dancer of a classical company of international standing. . |
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