Dance, Embodied Politics and Court Culture in Early Modern Spain

Does dance tell a story? What, if anything, is it intended to represent? How was it conceived in the early modern period? This book examines the theories and political uses of dance in Spain during the period preceding and following the 'Poetics turn', which coincided with the rule of Philip III (1598-1621), also known as the Dancing King, and the onset of the reign of Philip IV. While this turning point finalised the definition of dance as an art form, it was also paradoxical. Indeed, this deve