News/Research

Kate Mattingly Publishes Shaping Dance Canons

06 Mar, 2023

Kate Mattingly Publishes Shaping Dance Canons

BCNM alum Kate Mattingly is an assistant professor of dance at Old Dominion University. She has written for the New York Times, the Village Voice, Dance Magazine, and Pointe Magazine and is the associate editor of Dance Chronicle.

Kate is about to publish her new book "Shaping Dance Canons: Criticism, Aesthetics, and Equity" which examines a century of dance in the United States and its influence on aesthetics and inclusion. Few studies have taken a close look at the impact of key critics and their approach to criticism over time, Shaping Dance Canons argues that critics in the popular press have influenced how dance has been defined and valued, as well as which artists and dance forms have been taken most seriously. Kate Mattingly examines the gatekeeping role of prominent critics such as John Martin and Yvonne Rainer while highlighting the often-overlooked perspectives of writers from minoritized backgrounds and dance traditions.

The book also includes an analysis of digital platforms and current dance projects—On the Boards TV, thINKingDANCE, Black Dance Stories, and Amara Tabor-Smith’s House/Full of BlackWomen—that challenge systemic exclusions. In doing so, the book calls for ongoing dialogue and action to make dance criticism more equitable and inclusive.

To pre-order and read more about Kate Mattingly's Shaping Dance Canons, Click Here!