LSAT 125, Section 1, RC Passage 3, Aida Overton Walker

RC Passage 3 Explanation

PASSAGE TEXT: Aida Overton Walker (1880-1914), one of the most widely acclaimed African American performers …

Paragraph Summaries

1. Walker helped popularize the cakewalk through her performances and teaching. The dance came from African-American traditions during slavery and kept features of West African dance, like improvisation.
2. The cakewalk combined African and European dance elements, creating a couples’ procession with high kicks. It was originally a parody of slave owners’ dances but later became popular among European Americans and was itself copied and changed.
3. The cakewalk’s complicated history helped it appeal to many different audiences. Because society was changing quickly, successful art needed to connect with many different groups.
4. Walker made the cakewalk popular by adapting it for different audiences. She made it respectable for African-Americans, presented it as authentic for European Americans, and used its grand style to appeal to wealthy audiences.

Analysis

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