Castaldi presents an innovative overview of African performance practices, art, and ideology in her study of Negritude and the National Ballet of Senegal. Combining ethnography, dance theory, and personal descriptions, Castaldi takes us on a journey from frontstage to backstage in the arena of African dance. Her book is a "must read" for students of African popular culture and scholars of performance in the humanities, arts, and social sciences. The debates emerging from her important research will be of great significance in many fields.