John Charles Chasteen

The Prehistory of Samba: Carnival Dancing in Rio de Janeiro, 1840–1917

Rios pre-Lenten carnival and its Afro-Brazilian dance, samba, have been symbols of Brazilian identity since the 1930s. This article explores the choreographical antecedents of samba, before the crystallisation of the modern dance genre with that name, highlighting the importance of earlier social dances in the evolution of the twentieth-century symbol. It traces the development of carnival dancing in Rio de Janeiro from the time when few danced, through the long reign of the polka, to the emergence of generalised carnival street dancing around 1889. A modified view of the roots of samba has interesting implications for on-going debates on the social meaning of Brazilian carnival.

The City of Musical Memory: Salsa, Record Grooves, and Popular Culture in Cali, Colombia (review)

Had I not been about to leave for Cali when asked to review this book, being busy, I might have declined the invitation. But the coincidence seemed providential. I had not returned to Cali often since living there from 1978-81, and now I was about to revisit the citys annual feria that has become probably the worlds biggest salsa dance party. So, why not The City or Musical Memory? It was the right choice. I would certainly have regretted missing this magnificent book.

Rumba: Dance and Social Change in Contemporary Cuba.

PREFACE 1. Introduction: Portraits of a Dance 2. Cuban Dance Culture 3. Cuban People and Rumberos 4. Performance of Rumba 5. Symbolic Aspects of Rumba 6. Social and Aesthetic Change in Cuba APPENDIX: LABANOTATION NOTES BIBLIOGRAPHY INDEX