Brazilian Bodies and Their Choreographies of Identification

"Brazilian Bodies and their Choreographies of Identification retraces a method of swaying the body, particular to Brazil, which is commonly known as ginga. The book combines historiography and ethnography with movement analysis using a set of analytical tools compiled and tailored from distinct disciplines. As such, Cristina F. Rosa creates a 'toolbox' to map, more specifically, the presence of this polycentric and polyrhythmic system across distinct and specific realms: samba-de-roda (samba-in-a-circle) dances, capoeira angola games, and the repertoire of Grupo Corpo, a contemporary dance company based in Belo Horizonte (MG). This fascinating book examines how ginga functions at the bodily level, the multiple roles it assumes in each of these realms, and the effects that it mobilizes through choreographed and/or improvised movements, gestures, and intentions. It is an important resource for all scholars and students of international dance"--