Danielle Antoinette Hidalgo is associate professor of sociology at California State University, Chico.

Methodologically innovative and theoretically nuanced, this ethnographic project illustrates the ways in which notions of authenticity are undermined by commodifying tendencies. As Hidalgo shows us, authenticity and commodification are dialectical processes enmeshed in the lived experiences and practices of those studied. While most studies of electronic dance music focus on the celebratory aspects, this book examines both the structure and the lived experience of those who participate in this youth phenomenon turned into commodified culture industry. More importantly, this piece adds a refreshingly feminist perspective within a field of study dominated by male writers and subjects.

• Table of Contents List of Figures AcknowledgmentsIntroduction “This Must Be the Place”: Making Sense of Dance Music TodayChapter 1: Experiencing Bliss: Spaces of Respite, Release and Transcendence in Dance Music Chapter 2: The Blessed Madonna, Honey Dijon, and Peggy Gou: Different Kinds of DJsChapter 3: Contemporary Dance Music Spaces and Their Dance Floors: A SnapshotChapter 4: “We Still Believe. Do You?”: Navigating and Challenging the Business of Contemporary Dance Music Conclusion: Future Possibilities for Dance Music: “Never for Money, Always for Love” and Other ChallengesBibliographyAbout the Author