<DIV><p>Few will dispute the profound influence that African American music and movement has had in American and world culture. <I>Dancing Many Drums</I> explores that influence through a groundbreaking collection of essays on African American dance history, theory, and practice. In so doing, it reevaluates "black" and "African American " as both racial and dance categories. Abundantly illustrated, the volume includes images of a wide variety of dance forms and performers, from ring shouts, vaudeville, and social dances to professional dance companies and Hollywood movie dancing.<BR><br> Bringing together issues of race, gender, politics, history, and dance, <I>Dancing Many Drums</I> ranges widely, including discussions of dance instruction songs, the blues aesthetic, and Katherine Dunham's controversial ballet about lynching, <I>Southland</I>. In addition, there are two photo essays: the first on African dance in New York by noted dance photographer Mansa Mussa, and another on the 1934 "African opera," <I>Kykunkor, or the Witch Woman</I>.</p></DIV>