Physical fitness has long been a central preoccupation within American culture. One of the most influential publications in this area was Physical Culture. It was founded by entrepreneur and self-proclaimed “fitness guru” Bernarr Macfadden in 1899 and ran until about 1961. Macfadden did not invent the term “physical culture” but rather appropriated it from a pre-existing trend that glorified health and wellness above all else. The magazine presented what its contributors felt constituted “sound health”: exercise, disease prevention, hygiene, bodily symmetry, and a balanced diet. Many of the articles in early issues of Physical Culture were opinion pieces that claimed authority by citing research in the fields of psychology, phrenology, and biology. Authors professed to know the secrets to increasing brain size and output, “supreme” bodily control, and healing. They presented readers with formulas that promised perfect physical fitness, optimized neurological function, and social superiority. The magazine's central premise...
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Research Article|
December 01 2022
Music, Movement Culture, and the Politics of Bodily Health
Natalia Alexis Perez
Natalia Alexis Perez
Natalia Alexis Perez is a doctoral candidate at the University of Virginia. Her interests lie in genres of musical movement, particularly dance and sport. Her dissertation investigates connections among music, dance, and fitness communities at the turn of the twentieth century. She also works professionally in the fitness industry as a personal trainer and group exercise instructor and has certifications from the American College of Sports Medicine and the Athletics and Fitness Association of America.
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American Music (2022) 40 (4): 534–539.
Citation
Natalia Alexis Perez; Music, Movement Culture, and the Politics of Bodily Health. American Music 1 December 2022; 40 (4): 534–539. doi: https://doi.org/10.5406/19452349.40.4.19
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