Dance provides a way to travel far beyond the typical tourist experience. By connecting with local people through a shared love of movement, dancers catalyze many unique opportunities. They build cross-cultural friendships with dance as the only shared language, discover ways to train with celebrated teachers, experience cultural immersion key to their personal development, and more.<\/p>\n
In this book, dancers share epic tales from their journeys across North America, South America, Africa, Asia and Europe. They highlight various dance traditions, in addition to unique aspects of each country\u2019s geography, history, demographics and educational systems. Through these short stories, Dance Adventures celebrates the power of dance to connect us to the best parts of humanity, as well as to the best parts of ourselves.<\/p>\n
\u201cDance Adventures: True Stories About Dancing Abroad\u201d<\/a> is a series of short stories that takes you beyond the physicality of dance and takes you right to the heart of how it makes people feel. Add the road less traveled element plus a dose of self-discovery for each of the authors and that is the best summary of the book that we can give.<\/p>\n Some of the writers are trying to find their roots, others are trying to find themselves and still others are just giving in to their love of travel. It\u2019s no surprise that Morrison is\u00a0 at the helm of the book. She founded \u201cDance Adventures\u201d \u2013 a now-defunct travel company geared toward dance lovers and she continues to lead trips as an independent tour guide. Her own trip to Guinea to train with West African drummers and dancers is the final story in the book.<\/p>\n Each story was compelling in it\u2019s own right but there are a few that will stay with you. Makeda Kumasi\u2019s trip to Senegal to gather first hand knowledge of West African dance and culture was particularly moving. Her description of Gor\u00e9e Island, off of the coast of Dakar, Senegal, the location for the House of Slaves is haunting. Kara Nepomuceno\u2019s travel to the Philippines to learn more about her own culture and to study Igal Kabkab (the fan dance) is interesting. She describes a dance, that is very hard to explain, in a visual way. Finally, Natalie Preddie<\/a> communicates her own experience as a bi-racial ballet dancer. She showcases the exclusion that she felt growing up outside of the GTA and the acceptance that she received dancing in London in a way that is heart-wrenching.<\/p>\n