Dance in Palestine has a history as complex and contentious as the land itself. Dismissed as bacchantic madness by Bible tourists in the 19th Century; revived and glorified by Zionists; Pan-Arabists and Palestinian Nationalists in the 20th Century; and rejected by Islamic Reformists in the 21st Century dance in Palestine has a rich and elusive story that remains to be told. Raising Dust traces one dancerrsquo;s journey into Palestinersquo;s past and present. Through historical archives; the memories of dancers of yesteryear and into todayrsquo;s vibrant performing arts scene; Nicholas Rowe shares a vision of the Occupied Palestinian Territories that is often hidden by tragic news headlines. During tumultuous times dance has acted as a barometer of social change; a forum for debate and a means of expressing forbidden ideas. Far from apolitical; this most physical of art forms has often defined the political mood of the day.From the grapevines of the Old Testament to the municipal gardens of the Palestinian Authority; Rowe weaves dance and politics into a cultural narrative that is both personal and collective. Sumptuously illustrated; the resulting history stamps and twirls with the power; grace and determination of a dabkeh line.
#3145481 in eBooks 2010-04-30 2010-04-30File Name: B00A4AJHR8
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Works for generalist teachers tooBy Dr. PeterI really liked this book - so much so that I sought out other books by this author. The book examines how professional musicians in the popular music genre do their work and discover how songs are constructed so they can play them. I am a generalist teacher who is expected to teach music but I cant do this from a position of pre-existing knowledge. But I can be a fellow traveler with my students are learn music in the way shown here. This was a enlightening read and gave me much to reflect upon.1 of 3 people found the following review helpful. Gutes Buch !By MDTMOFEin interessantes Buch; das die "lebendige" Musikkultur ernst nimmt; v.a. ihre Reproduktionsstrukturen quasi ethnografisch untersucht. Darin fuer mich sehr anregend. Lucy Greens Femi-Schwachsinn ist unausstehlich; dieses Buch ist wirklich gut; auch wenn der Titel mir anfangs sehr selbstsicher daherkam !