Hannah Kosstrin Publishes: Kinesthetic Peoplehood: Jewish Diasporic Dance Migrations

The Melton Center for Jewish Studies congratulates Hannah Kosstrin, Director of the Melton Center for Jewish Studies and Associate Professor of Dance, on the publication of her new book, Kinesthetic Peoplehood: Jewish Diasporic Dance Migrations, published by Oxford University Press as part of the Oxford Studies in Dance Theory series.

In Kinesthetic Peoplehood, Kosstrin explores Jewish diaspora through dance, offering a new framework for understanding cultural production, migration, and community formation through movement. The book presents the first English-language multiethnic study of Jewish dance and is the first to focus on Mizrahi choreographers in the United States. Drawing on archival, ethnographic, and practice-based research, Kosstrin crafts rich movement descriptions that immerse readers in the performances and illuminate how dance serves as a powerful vehicle for expressing Jewish identity, memory, and belonging across generations and geographic boundaries.

Learn more about the book through Oxford University Press: 

View the book

Kosstrin recently discussed the project and the broader significance of dance studies on the OhioDance: A State of Dance podcast.

Listen to the podcast episode: 

OhioDance: A State of Dance podcast

To celebrate the publication, the Melton Center will host a special book roundtable featuring discussion of Kinesthetic Peoplehood on October 28. 

To learn more visit: 

Roundtable with Alexander Kaye and Hannah Kosstrin- Kinesthetic Peoplehood: Jewish Diasporic Dance Migrations