As globalization forces us to revisit the 'local' in dance, an examination of the processes of identity formation, generation and affirmation become very necessary. The world of dance in today's context is constantly being shaped by the nature of the state, politicized markets, the dialogues taking place within and between cultures, as well as the growing importance of multimedia skills. As the identity of dance and dancers undergoes constant interrogation and re-organization, there is an increasing need to establish dialogues across regions, and to identify and understand the major areas of concern some of which may be common to all, while others may be specific to the social-political-historical conditions of particular countries.\nThis edited volume, a project of the Research and Documentation Network of the World Dance Alliance- Asia Pacific, brings together renowned scholars from the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas and Europe, to discuss issues of global and local importance that are at the centre of contemporary research. It hopes to generate a fruitful inter-regional and/or inter-country understanding of the art form, as dance and dancers themselves step out and transcend borders.
