ThisbookanalyzeshownationalandinternationaldancerscontributedtodevelopingMexico’sculturalpoliticsandnotionsofthenationatdifferenthistoricalmoments.ItemphasizeshowdancersandothermovingbodiesresistedandreproducedracialandsocialhierarchiesstemmingfromcolonialMexico(1521-1821).Relyingonextensivearchivalresearch,choreographyasananalyticalmethodology,andtheoriesofrace,dance,andperformancestudies,authorJoseReynosoexamineshowdanceandotherformsofembodimentparticipatedinMexico’sformationaftertheMexicanWarofIndependence(1821-1876),thePorfiriandictatorship(1876-1911),andpostrevolutionaryMexico(1919-1940).Insodoing,thebookanalyzeshowunderlyingcoloniallogicscontinuedtoinfluencerelationshipsamongstdancers,otherartists,governmentofficials,critics,andaudiencesofdifferentbackgroundsastheyrefashionedtheirracial,social,cultural,andnationalidentities.Thebookproposesanddevelopstwomainconceptsthatexplorethesemutuallyformativeinteractionsamongsuchdiversepeople:embodiedmestizomodernismsandtransnationalnationalisms.’Embodiedmestizomodernisms’referstocombinationsofindigenous,folkloric,ballet,andmoderndancepracticesinworkschoreographedbynationalandinternationaldancerswithdifferentracialandsocialbackgrounds.ThebookcontendsthatthesemestizomodernistdancepracticeschallengedassumptionsaboutracialneutralitywithwhichwhitenesshistoricallyestablisheditsostensiblesupremacyinconstructingMexico’s’transnationalnationalisms’.Thisargumentholdsthatnotionsofthenation-stateandnationalidentitiesarenotproducedexclusivelybyanation’snativesbutalsobyhistoricaltransnationalforcesand(dancing)bodieswhoseinfluencesshapelocalpolitics,economicinterests,andartisticpractices.
SOCIAL ballet DANCING dance CULTURAL
