Movement for the masses: An inter-disciplinary study of the performance of marching

The author, coming from a background of theater and dance before enlisting in the United States Army, assets that marching is not an exercise in homogenization, but rather an expression of individuality. Marching's perceived functions of building teamwork and discipline are expanded to show how marching actually defines the military cultural identity.;As a form of performance, the distinction between functional marching and performance marching is made. Further analysis reveals the performance values of marching, as well as the reactions it evokes from both performer and audience. Specific examples of marching movement represented in the mass media and their underlying motivations are explored---from musical comedies to Nazi propaganda film---marching is used not to move troops, but to move audiences. Finally, the author shows how the body movements and choreographic elements of marching have been appropriated into our popular culture, thus exposing the pervasiveness of the movement.