World Dance History: Ritual, Politics, Global Engagement, and Citizenship provides readers with a comprehensive exploration of dance across a multitude of cultures and eras. The text examines the relationship between dance and society, interrogating cultural identity, religious practices, political movements, and mechanisms of social control. Readers are invited to consider dance not merely as an art form but as a potent cultural artifact that communicates the richness of human history and experience.

The book surveys the cultural function of dance in various regional and historical contexts, discussing the significance of African dances, sacred versus secular dance in South and Southeast Asia, and the intersections of ceremony versus propaganda in East Asian dance forms. Readers discover dance innovations during the Industrial Revolution, the nuanced dynamism of early American theatrical jazz dance, and the cultural revolutions heralded by hip-hop. Each chapter provides a lens through which the reader can learn to assess and appreciate the diverse interpretations and purposes of dance throughout world history.

Designed to help students develop a greater understanding of the ways in which dance can shape and reflect human citizenship, World Dance History is ideal for courses in dance history, cultural anthropology, and world culture.