Review by Choice Review
In this beautifully presented, thoroughly researched book, dance scholar Paul Scolieri (Barnard College, Columbia) builds a persuasive case for the significance of dance in the first encounters between Europeans and those they ultimately conquered, the Indians of the New World. Although the scope of the investigation is narrow, the author brings a variety of perspectives to bear on chronicles, journals, and images from the 16th century. The textual, iconographic, and linguistic analyses demonstrate Scolieri's depth and breadth of understanding of the historical and cultural implications of the European colonizing of Mexico. With glossy color plates, well-reproduced black-and-white images, and ten appendixes of translated source material, the book provides a great example of in-depth research using primary sources. Careful to point out potential flaws and prejudices in the source material, Scolieri thoughtfully argues for an understanding of the importance of dance in this historical moment in Mexican history. As he terms it, the differences between the two cultures caused "an epistemic shift" in thinking about dance and choreography. This book will be especially useful to those with an interest in dance history and theory, Mexican history, colonial and postcolonial studies, and cross-cultural dance studies. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates, graduate students, and faculty. M. Keefe The College at Brockport
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review
