This book is about the folk: the folk in folk dance, the folk in folklore, the folk in folk wisdom. When we see folk dance on the stage or in a tourist setting, which is the way in which many of us experience folk dance, the question arises are these the “real folk” performing their authentic dances? Or are they urban, well trained, carefully-rehearsed professional dancers who make their livelihood as representatives of a specific nation-state acting as the folk? Or something in between? T...

Everyone who viewed the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games can understand the power of dance and mass movement in the service of politics. While examples of such public performances and huge festivals are familiar in Nazi Germany, the former Soviet Union and today's North Korea, this new book addresses the lesser known examples of Spain under Franco, the Dominican Republic, Iran, Croatia and Uzbekistan, all of which have been subjected to various political regimes.

When Men Dance explores the intersection of dance and perceptions of male gender and sexuality across history and different cultural contexts. Chapters tackle the history and dilemmas that revolve around dance and notions of masculinity from a variety of dance studies perspectives, and are accompanied by fascinating personal histories that complement their themes.

This edited collection is compiled from the first MENACA (Middle East, North African, and Central Asian) Dance and Music Symposium (Pomona College, March 13-16, 2023), and includes a wide variety of readings on Middle Eastern Dance and Music. The writers range from pioneers in the field of Middle Eastern dance and dance studies, from Barbara Sellers-Young, Karin van Nieuwkerk, and Anthony Shay to a range of newer voices. These authors come from dance, performance studies, theatre, and anth...

Dance intersects with ethnicity in a powerful variety of ways and at a broad set of venues. Dance practices and attitudes about ethnicity have sometimes been the source of outright discord, as when African Americans were - and sometimes still are - told that their bodies are 'not right' for ballet, when Anglo Americans painted their faces black to perform in minstrel shows, when 19th century Christian missionaries banned the performance of particular native dance traditions throughout much...

People all over the world dance traditional and popular dances that have been staged for purposes of representing specific national and ethnic groups. Anthony Shay suggests these staged dance productions be called “ethno identity dances”, especially to replace the term “folk dance,” which Shay suggests should refer to the traditional dances found in village settings as an organic part of village and tribal life. Shay investigates the many motives that impel people to dance in these staged ...

Assistive Technology Service Delivery: A Practical Guide for Disability and Employment Professionals provides professionals working in vocational rehabilitation with the guidelines and methodologies they need to carry out their daily work at a high standard. Crucially, the techniques and tools described in the book are based on evidence gathered in rigorous research. Chapters cover an introduction to the accommodations system, the role of assistive technology as an accommodation and eviden...