Something in the Way She Moves is about the eternal link between dance and a woman’s sensuality. Oftentimes people, particularly men, are intimidated by the power a woman possesses when she dances and enthralls (most often) men to the point that they do things they would not ordinarily do. But this book looks at dance through the eyes of women. They become the observers and are no longer merely observed. Taking a tour of cultures exposes readers to tango in Buenos Aires, to the cancan in Paris at the Moulin Rouge, to Chicago and New York where predominately African Americans Charlestoned, cakewalked and shimmied until they brought forth the jazz dance.
To keep it interesting, the author throws Madonna, Princess Diana, ballet and the near-requisite anorexia, transvestitism, and the Hollywood must-have, cosmetic surgery.
There are many anecdotes sprinkled throughout the book. In the 1920s, a Jersey girl was picked up by police for dancing the Turkey Trot on her lunch hour. There are interesting little-known facts, such as that the first geishas were men.
This book is a quirky mix of dance trivia and national history that comes together in a charming collection of stories of how dance has affected and been affected by the changing times, mores, and even laws. Recommended for dance fans and social history buffs.