Choice Reviews Online · 2007 · 52 citations · 0 references
HumanitiesCultural StudiesGender StudiesChoreographyGender HistoryPerformativity StudiesBallroom CultureDance EthnographyDance HistoryBallroom CompetitionsBallroom HistoryHistories Of Ballroom CultureMedia Representation Of Ballroom
Competitive ballroom dance, known as DanceSport, has gained renewed fascination and scrutiny following the success of *Dancing with the Stars*, becoming a significant cultural phenomenon. The study investigates the forces driving the thriving ballroom dance industry and the social issues it raises, including representation, economic inequality, and identity across gender, race, class, and sexuality. The author employs an in‑depth qualitative analysis of the industry’s structure and social dynamics to uncover its driving mechanisms and associated social concerns. The book situates ballroom dance within broader cultural and historical contexts, offering a unique behind‑the‑scenes perspective that enriches dance studies.
In the wake of the blockbuster television success of Dancing with the Stars, competitive ballroom dance has become a subject of new fascination-and renewed scrutiny. Known by its practitioners as DanceSport, ballroom is a significant dance form and a fascinating cultural phenomenon. In this first in-depth study of the sport, dancer and dance historian Juliet McMains explores the Machine that drives the thriving industry, delving into both the pleasures and perils of its seductions. She further explores the broader social issues invoked in American DanceSport: representation of Latin, economics that often foster inequality, and issues of identity, including gender, race, class, and sexuality. Putting ballroom dance in the larger contexts of culture and history, Glamour Addiction makes an important contribution to dance studies, while giving new and veteran enthusiasts a unique and unprecedented glimpse behind the scenes.