Contemporary Directions in Asian American Dance

The definition of Asian American dance is as contested as the definition of “Asian American”. Artists and scholars who are making, defining, questioning, and theorizing Asian American dance show in these original essays that the term encompasses not only a range of national origins but also a dazzling variety of theoretical frameworks, disciplinary methods, and genres.

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The definition of Asian American dance is as contested as the definition of “Asian American.” Artists and scholars who are making, defining, questioning, and theorizing Asian American dance show in these original essays that the term encompasses not only a range of national origins but also a dazzling variety of theoretical frameworks, disciplinary methods, and genres—from traditional to postmodern to hip hop.

This volume addresses topics including the role of the 1960s Asian American Movement in creating Japanese American taiko groups, and the experience of internment during World War II influencing butoh dance in Canada. Essays about artists such as Jay Hirabayashi, Alan Tolentino, Shen Wei, Kun-Yang Lin, Yasuko Yokoshi, Eiko & Koma, Sam Kim, Roko Kawai, and Denise Uyehara look closely at the politics of how Asian aesthetics are set into motion and marketed. The contributions include first-person narratives, interviews, ethnography, cultural studies, performance studies, and comparative ethnic studies.