ABSTRACT
Dance in the Americas, broadly speaking, evolved as dance traditions brought by enslaved Africans selectively absorbed European influences (→ Slavery, I/18; Hybridity, I/30). Easily identifiable characteristics of African dance include a tipped-forward posture, improvised movements by one dancer (often encircled by a group), and isolations – discrete movements of individual body parts (shoulders, head, rib cage, and especially the pelvis) – reflecting the polyrhythmic nature of the musical accompaniment. European dance forms, on the other hand, emphasize an erect posture, couples moving as a unit (often touching or holding each other close together), linear floor patterns, and specialized footwork (as in jigs from the British Isles or the zapateado of flamenco). As these basic characteristics commingled in the Americas, new hybrid dance forms emerged that sometimes brought forth novel meanings: whereas rhythmically moving one’s hips while performing alone can be seen as tracking a beat, when done together in close proximity with a partner sexual implications are suddenly present (Sloat 2010). These hybrid human movement expressions exhibit regional differences yet share common societal functions. Across the Americas, dance served as badges of cultural, national, or class identity, as art, commercial entertainment, encoded communication, recreation, and ritual.
