Introduction

People of African descent have impacted cultures in regions thousands of miles from Africa for centuries. For instance, when considering the chronicles of history, diverse conversations on the transatlantic slave trade have recently become a topic of interest in scholarly literature. The deficient research on African Diaspora dance is an example of a cultural phenomenon of the transatlantic slave trade that is under-represented in scholarly literature. This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book examines narratives of activism in choreographed African Diaspora dances in myriad public spaces. It highlights Africana dance's capacity to engage the whole person – spiritually, mentally, physically, and emotionally. The book exposes the symbiotic relationship between dance, religion, and identity among the Siddi in India. It is compiled to stimulate conversation around issues that have persisted for decades in some cases and centuries in others.