Revolutionary Bodies

"Provides a significant introduction of Chinese dance to English readers." * Dance Research Journal *
"Revolutionary Bodies promises to be an important reference in the fields of dance, performance, and Chinese studies. . . . [and] stands out for its critical insights." * TDR: The Drama Review *
"Provides new insights into the interactions among ethnographic forms of knowledge, artistic modes of representation, and the changing political imperatives of the past century." * Modern Chinese Literature and Culture *
"A wonderfully rich source about the development of dance in China and lays a very strong foundations for future research on the topic." * Dance Research *
"Keen observation and critical analysis of various dance productions unveil a diverse landscape of socialist dance and reaffirm the multiplicity of Chinese socialist culture." * Asian Theatre Journal *

"Ultimately, Revolutionary Bodies makes an incredible mark on the disciplines of dance studies and Chinese cultural studies. Wilcox’s scholarship is a model of thorough research, accessible writing, and sharp argumentation. More important, it introduces us to the field of Chinese dance by following its birth and growth in concert with the dynamics of contemporary Chinese history and offering us a complex picture of an important world genre."

* Theater Survey *

"Wilcox’s extensive survey leaves room for reflecting on contentions emerging from the role of Chinese dance in promoting state interests both nationally and abroad. . . . In lieu of directly addressing the political tension, Wilcox’s conclusion remains open for readers to consider the socialist legacy that has transformed the artists’ worldview and the need to reinvigorate the radical possibility of pluralism espoused by it for twenty-first-century post-socialist China."

* Theatre Research International *

“Revolutionary Bodies offers foundational scholarship on Chinese dance, a critical component of the PRC’s cultural landscape that has, thus far, been a fascinating yet obscure picture. It is an exemplary study with sharp analyses, solid sources, and engaging composition. . . . As we cast our gaze on the performances through Wilcox’s descriptions and analyses, we learn not only what and how to watch, but also the aesthetics and joy of watching Chinese dance.”

* Journal of Asian Studies *

"At every turn the book benefits from Emily’s background as an anthropologist turned cultural historian. With the benefit of first-hand ethnographic research, she brings a rich understanding of the dance world to her prose."

* PRC History Review *

"Revolutionary Bodies has helped not only to establish modern Chinese dance studies as a mature field of study in Anglophone scholarship, with Wilcox one of its leading authorities, but also to revolutionize our understanding of socialist cultural productions during the PRC era, taking seriously their radical inclusivity, artistic innovations, and dynamic inheritances."

* Twentieth- Century China *