With heroines like Josephine Baker, Colette, Isadora Duncan, and the cancaneuses of the Moulin Rouge, this is far from a conventional history.Rich with both fascinating anecdotes (such as the New Jersey girl picked up by the police for dancing the very sexy turkey trot one day during the Roaring Twenties), and astonishing facts (the first geishas were men), Something in the Way She Moves shows us the world of dance and sex through women's eyes. Best-selling author Wendy Buonaventura brings us from Buenos Aires, Argentina, where immigrants created the delicious tango, to Paris and the bawdy, leggy cancan dancers of the Moulin Rouge, to New York, where struggling African-Americans cakewalked, Charlestoned, and shimmied into the public eye, creating "jazz dance" (originally--and tellingly--called "jass" dance). This is a book for lovers of dance and lovers of history alike, and an engrossing introduction to a slightly seamy side of a cultural legacy.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author:
An established dancer and choreographer, Wendy Buonaventura is author of the acclaimed Serpent of the Nile. Her performance work was recently the subject of the television documentary Making Mimi. She has written and presented programs for BBC Radio 4 and has performed and lectured extensively throughout Europe and the USA.
Review:
"A charming collection of stories...Recommended for dance fans and social history buffs." -- Curled Up with a Good Book 4/6/05
"A paean to all the women who have danced for innumerable ages for innumerable reasons...Highly intriguing." -- Infodad.com
"Brilliantly researched and utterly absorbing." -- Venue (UK)
"Engrossing...a book for anyone intrigued by the...sublime, sexy, and downright surreal ways we find to strut our stuff." -- SirReadaLot.org 4/1/04
"Fascinating feminist history of dance under the sway of fashion, class, race, and gender roles." -- Bust Fall 2004
"This remarkable book is a fascinating read." -- Choice January, 2005
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherDa Capo Press
- Publication date2004
- ISBN 10 0306813483
- ISBN 13 9780306813481
- BindingHardcover
- Number of pages312
-
Rating