Embodied Nostalgia: Early Twentieth Century Social Dance and the Choreographing of Broadway Musical Theatre

Embodied Nostalgia explores how social dance in musical theatre creates a site of embodied history, cultural memory, and nostalgia, interrogating nostalgic impulses for social and political resonance. It focuses on the Black ownership of social dances and their appropriation, cultural theft, and forgotten legacies, offering a unique method to describe, discuss, and evaluate the body in motion in musical theatre.

Format: Hardback
Length: 234 pages
Publication date: 11 July 2023
Publisher: Taylor & Francis Ltd

Embodied Nostalgia is a captivating collection of interlocking case studies that delve into the profound ways in which social dance in musical theatre emerges as a vibrant tapestry of embodied history, cultural memory, and nostalgia. It poses thought-provoking questions about the performative, dramaturgical, and critical roles that social dance plays within the realm of musical theatre.

Within this volume, the case studies are centered on Broadway musicals set during the Jazz Age (1910-1950), yet they are performed and produced after that period, creating a captivating spectrum of nostalgic impulses that are explored for their social and political resonance. These musicals reflect the fractures or changes in social dance when brought to the stage, unveiling the intricate complexities of embodied nostalgia, which is broadly interpreted as the physical manifestation of community memories, longings, and historical significance.

Particular attention is paid to the Black ownership of social dances and the subsequent appropriation, cultural theft, and forgotten legacies that have shaped the evolution of these dances. By approaching musical theatre through the lens of social dance, always already intertwined with notions of class and race, and the politics of choreography therein, Embodied Nostalgia offers a unique and indispensable method for describing, discussing, and critically evaluating the body in motion within the realm of musical theatre.

Through these case studies, readers are invited to explore the rich tapestry of social dance as it intertwines with the narratives and characters of musical theatre, creating a profound and multi-layered experience that sparks contemplation, appreciation, and a deeper understanding of the human experience.

Weight: 620g
Dimension: 234 x 156 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780367757199