Danced Paths. Spreading of Afro-Cuban Dance in Mexico City and the Ways of its Relocation There

Abstract

The intensification of globalization processes towards the end of the 20th century gave way to new forms of transnational spreading to the Afro- Cuban dance and, hence, to new spatial elocations, like Mexico City. The main thread of this paper is an interrogation about the changes that this kind of dance has undergone during its recent history and the nuances this has brought about in its practice. In particular, I intend to explore the role played by Cuban artists as cultural intermediaries in the process of teaching other people how to dance. I will argue as well the recognition of the “Afro†type as a cultural legacy and point out the rise of non-Western body disciplines as one of the main ways in which Afro-Cuban dance is being relocated in the 21st century.