Megan Pugh has taught at the University of California, Berkeley, and Lewis and Clark College. Her writings on American art and culture appear frequently, and her poetry has been published in The Oxford American and VOLT among other publications. She lives in Portland, OR.
As signifying dancers, men and women fly out of this deep, long-nurtured book. In clear and sensual prose, Megan Pugh has fashioned a history of modern America in gestures and movement. The pages never hold still. GREIL MARCUS, author of The History of Rock 'n' Roll in Ten Songs and Real Life Rock -- Greil Marcus With her locomotive prose, virtuosic analysis, and acrobatic storytelling, Megan Pugh brings America's most dazzling dancers stair-tapping and moonwalking back to life. With profound historical insight, she also shows how these gravity-defying heroes made their highwire crossings - between 'high' and 'low' taste, between classes and races - only look like a cakewalk. America Dancing is more exhilarating, and more revealing, than cultural history has a right to be. JOHN BECKMAN, author of American Fun: Four Centuries of Joyous Revolt -- John Beckman This history sizzles, glides, soars, skitters, hammers, taps, and leaps through decades as well as diverse dance forms, from the worlds of cinema to Broadway, ballet and beyond. An exciting, important book! PEGGY and MURRAY SCHWARTZ, authors of The Dance Claimed Me: A Biography of Pearl Primus -- Peggy and Murray Schwartz