Vergara Murua, Francisco;
(2024)
Dancing the Andes. An Anthropological Approach of Rhythm.
Doctoral thesis (Ph.D), UCL (University College London).
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Abstract
This study explores the rhythm of traditional mestizo dance in the central Peruvian Andes. It seeks to understand the ways in which mestizo people conceptualise, practice, and embody the rhythm of dance, and the role that rhythm plays in the production of identity. Based on eleven months of ethnographic fieldwork with a folkloric dance ensemble from the city of Calca, the research reveals that rhythm provides a temporal, corporeal, and spatial sense through which mestizo people negotiate their identity. It also demonstrates that rhythm is a multiscalar and socially meaningful phenomenon that connects and integrates multiple levels of indigeneity and ‘mestizoness’. Through rhythm, mestizo groups set off a process of becoming one that unites the dancers with the dance, allowing the coexistence of modern and indigenous elements. In general terms, this research establishes a dialogue between Andean anthropology, the anthropology of dance, and the anthropology of rhythm. As the thesis shows, the anthropological study of rhythm demands more attention within these fields. Today, there is a general sense within anthropology that rhythm is an important aspect of life. Moreover, the term ‘rhythm’ has a long history, and within the last few decades has come to attract a greater level of attention. Paradoxically, the problem with rhythm is that it has scarcely been subjected to anthropological scrutiny; therefore, little is known about it. This study is therefore an effort to fill this gap.
| Type: | Thesis (Doctoral) |
|---|---|
| Qualification: | Ph.D |
| Title: | Dancing the Andes. An Anthropological Approach of Rhythm |
| Language: | English |
| Additional information: | Copyright © The Author 2024. Original content in this thesis is licensed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY-NC 4.0) Licence (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/). Any third-party copyright material present remains the property of its respective owner(s) and is licensed under its existing terms. Access may initially be restricted at the author’s request. |
| UCL classification: | UCL UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS UCL > Provost and Vice Provost Offices > UCL SLASH > Faculty of S&HS > Dept of Anthropology |
| URI: | https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10194756 |
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