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Capturing the Dancing: Why and How?

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Dance in the Field
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Abstract

A solid grounding in a movement notation system is a necessary component of dance ethnology training Even if the provision of a full movement score is not the goal, the abilities and understandings concomitant to learning a notation system are mandatory skills. An important ingredient in research is discussion of dancing, the movement dimension of this complex and multifaceted aspect of human behaviour. Whether the focus is on overall cultural context, gender issues, ritual, or some other topic, the movement involved should, at an appropriate juncture, enter the discussion; sophisticated movement analysis may not be necessary, but statements relating to movement are relevant, indeed critical, to a broad array of dance ethnology studies.

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© 1999 Palgrave Macmillan, a division of Macmillan Publishers Limited

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Van Zile, J. (1999). Capturing the Dancing: Why and How?. In: Buckland, T.J. (eds) Dance in the Field. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/9780230375291_7

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