Synopses & Reviews
andldquo;An excellent introduction to the many complexities and facets of powwows. It entices the reader to recognize the importance of bodies in motionandmdash;in particular, danceandmdash;in forging social worlds and mediating power relations.andrdquo;andmdash;Zoila Mendoza, author of Creating Our Own: Folklore, Performance, and Identity in Cuzco, Peru
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andldquo;An outstanding interpretation of Native American powwow dancing that reveals its significance in the context of colonial and postcolonial history and across cultures and borders. As dancer and dance scholar, Axtmann brings a keen eye and her own kinesthetic knowledge of dance to her groundbreaking interpretation of the movement styles of powwow dances. andrdquo;andmdash;Elizabeth Fine, author of Soulstepping: African American Step Shows
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andldquo;In her meticulously researched book, Ann Axtmann has added a new dimension to our understanding of Native performance. This rich ethnographic and cultural analysis will be of tremendous interest to scholars, students, and the general public. Axtmann makes a strong and moving case for the power of the dancing body.andrdquo;andmdash;Julie Malnig, editor of Ballroom, Boogie, Shimmy Sham, Shake: A Social and Popular Dance Reader
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Thousands of intertribal powwows occur every year throughout the United States and Canada. Sometimes lasting up to a week, these sacred and traditional events are central to Native American spirituality. Attendees dance, drum, sing, eat, reestablish family ties, and make new friends.
In this compelling interdisciplinary work, Ann Axtmann examines powwows as practiced primarily along the northeast Atlantic coastline from New Jersey into New England. Focusing on the centrality of bodies in motion, she introduces us to the complexities ofand#160;powwow history,and#160;describes how space and time are performed along the powwow trail,and#160;identifies the specific dance styles employed, and considers the issue of race in relation to Native American dancers and the phenomenon of andldquo;playing Indianandrdquo; by non-Natives.and#160;Ultimately, Axtmann seeks to understand how powwow dancers express and embody power and what these dances signify for the communities in whichand#160;they are performed.
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Synopsis
"An excellent introduction to the many complexities and facets of powwows. It entices the reader to recognize the importance of bodies in motion--in particular, dance--in forging social worlds and mediating power relations."--Zoila Mendoza, author of
Creating Our Own: Folklore, Performance, and Identity in Cuzco, Peru "As dancer and dance scholar, Axtmann brings a keen eye and her own kinesthetic knowledge of dance to ground her interpretation of the movement styles of powwow dances. Her fieldwork over many years at a number of powwows in both the United States and Canada gives the work depth and authority. This groundbreaking and lively book makes a real contribution to understanding the style and significance of powwow dancing."--Elizabeth Fine, author of
Soulstepping: African American Step Shows "A rich ethnographic and cultural analysis, grounded in postcolonial and transcultural contexts. Adds a new dimension to our understanding of Native performance."--Julie Malnig, editor of
Ballroom, Boogie, Shimmy Sham, Shake: A Social and Popular Dance Reader Colloquially the term "powwow" refers to a meeting where important matters will be discussed. However, at the thousands of Native American intertribal dances that occur every year throughout the United States and Canada, a powwow means something else altogether. Sometimes lasting up to a week, these social gatherings are a sacred tradition central to Native American spirituality. Attendees dance, drum, sing, eat, re-establish family ties, and make new friends.
In this compelling interdisciplinary work, Ann Axtmann examines powwows as practiced primarily along the Atlantic coastline, from New Jersey to New England. She offers an introduction to the many complexities of the tradition and explores the history of powwow performance, the variety of their setups, the dances themselves, and the phenomenon of "playing Indian." Ultimately, Axtmann seeks to understand how the dancers express and embody power through their moving bodies and what the dances signify for the communities in which they are performed.
Ann M. Axtmann is an independent scholar living in Maine.
About the Author
Ann M. Axtmann has performed with the Joffrey Ballet, the American Ballet Theater, and many other dance companies. Her choreographic work has appeared throughout Mexico and in the United States. She is an independent scholar now living in Maine.