This new collection of essays surveys the history of dance in an innovative and wide-ranging fashion. Editors Dils and Albright address the current dearth of comprehensive teaching material in the dance history field through the creation of a multifaceted, non-linear, yet well-structured and comprehensive survey of select moments in the development of both American and World dance. This book is illustrated with over 50 photographs, and would make an ideal text for undergraduate classes in dance ethnography, criticism or appreciation, as well as dance history--particularly those with a cross-cultural, contemporary, or an American focus. The reader is organized into four thematic sections which allow for varied and individualized course use: Thinking about Dance History: Theories and Practices, World Dance Traditions, America Dancing, and Contemporary Dance: Global Contexts. The editors have structured the readings with the understanding that contemporary theory has thoroughly questioned the discursive construction of history and the resultant canonization of certain dances, texts and points of view. The historical readings are presented in a way that encourages thoughtful analysis and allows the opportunity for critical engagement with the text.

这本新的论文集以一种创新和广泛的方式调查了舞蹈史。编辑迪尔斯和奥尔布赖特通过对美国和世界舞蹈发展的特定时刻进行多方面、非线性、但结构良好的综合调查，解决了目前舞蹈史领域综合教学材料匮乏的问题。本书配有50多张照片，将成为舞蹈民族学、批评或欣赏以及舞蹈史本科生课程的理想教材--特别是那些具有跨文化、当代或美国焦点的课程。本书分为四个主题部分，允许不同的和个性化的课程使用。舞蹈史的思考。理论与实践，世界舞蹈传统，美国舞蹈，以及当代舞蹈。全球背景。编者在安排读物时了解到，当代理论已经彻底质疑了历史的话语建构以及由此产生的对某些舞蹈、文本和观点的规范化。历史读物以一种鼓励深思熟虑的分析的方式呈现，并允许有机会对文本进行批判性参与。