Free Stepping Left: Dance And Politics In New York City, 1928–1942 Ebooks To Download
Stepping Left simultaneously unveils the radical roots of modern dance and recalls the excitement and energy of New York City in the 1930s. Ellen Graff explores the relationship between the modern dance movement and leftist political activism in this period, describing the moment in American dance history when the revolutionary fervor of "dancing modern" was joined with the revolutionary vision promised by the Soviet Union. This account reveals the major contribution of Communist and left-wing politics to modern dance during its formative years in New York City. From Communist Party pageants to union hall performances to benefits for the Spanish Civil War, Graff documents the passionate involvement of American dancers in the political and social controversies that raged throughout the Depression era. Dancers formed collectives and experimented with collaborative methods of composition at the same time that they were marching in May Day parades, demonstrating for workers’ rights, and protesting the rise of fascism in Europe. Graff records the explosion of choreographic activity that accompanied this lively period—when modern dance was trying to establish legitimacy and its own audience. Stepping Left restores a missing legacy to the history of American dance, a vibrant moment that was supressed in the McCarthy era and almost lost to memory. Revisiting debates among writers and dancers about the place of political content and ethnicity in new dance forms, Stepping Left is a landmark work of dance history.
Paperback: 264 pages
Publisher: Duke University Press Books; First Edition edition (July 9, 1997)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0822319489
ISBN-13: 978-0822319481
Product Dimensions: 6 x 0.8 x 9.2 inches
Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
Best Sellers Rank: #598,493 in Books (See Top 100 in Books) #48 in Books > Arts & Photography > Performing Arts > Dance > Modern #11337 in Books > History > Americas > United States > State & Local #39445 in Books > Politics & Social Sciences > Social Sciences
This book gives an interesting and vivid portrait of the left-wing dance scene in New York City in what was perhaps my grandparents' time. A confluence of all kinds of dancers, ranging from modern to agitprop, from fine art to mass street sensibility, from ballet to ethnic, existed in the same small area. They learned at each other's studios and performed in each others' shows. There was an atmosphere of political idealism and perhaps insurrection, that permeated much of the dance scene as well as other art worlds. Many of the artists portrayed in this book were themselves Jewish immigrants, as were my grandparents (although mine weren't into dance at all).I recognized only a few names like Martha Graham... she had her own approach and yet also worked with many other artists of quite a different stripe.Written in a clear and readable style, this book appears to be very well-researched and sympathetic but not biased either politically or artistically. The descriptions of the very different aesthetic inspirations and the general creative approaches used by each of the dancers presented really made the descriptions come to life. Lots of archival photos, too.It was a window peeking into another world, one that I previously had no knowledge of.
Stepping Left: Dance and Politics in New York City, 1928–1942 The Historical Atlas of New York City, Third Edition: A Visual Celebration of 400 Years of New York City's History The Historical Atlas of New York City: A Visual Celebration of 400 Years of New York City's History Seats: New York: 180 Seating Plans to New York Metro Area Theatres Third Edition (Seats New York) Left Behind Series Prequel Set (The Rising, Anarchist is Born Before they were Left Behind/ The Regime, Evil Advances Before they were Left Behind/ The Rapture,In the Twinkling of an Eye Countdown to the Earth's Last Days) New-York Historical Society New York City in 3D In The Gilded Age: A Book Plus Stereoscopic Viewer and 50 3D Photos from the Turn of the Century The Bridges of New York (New York City) New York in the Thirties (New York City) Stories in Stone New York: A Field Guide to New York City Area Cemeteries & Their Residents How to Dance: Learn How to Line Dance, Belly Dance, Ice Dance and More Skyscraper: The Politics and Power of Building New York City in the Twentieth Century Five Points: The 19th-Century New York City Neighborhood That Invented Tap Dance, Stole Elections, and Became the World's Most Notorious Slum Five Points: The Nineteenth-Century New York City Neighborhood That Invented Tap Dance, Stole Elections and Became the World's Most Notorious Slum StreetSmart NYC Map by VanDam - City Street Map of Manhattan, New York, in 9/11 National Memorial Edition - Laminated folding pocket size city travel and subway map, 2016 Edition "You Better Work!" Underground Dance Music in New York City City of Sedition: The History of New York City during the Civil War Storied City: A Children's Book Walking-Tour Guide to New York City War at the End of the World: Douglas MacArthur and the Forgotten Fight for New Guinea 1942-1945 Tiger 1 Heavy Tank 1942-45 (New Vanguard) Glenn Ligon: Housing in New York: A Brief History (Greater New York)
