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Listen carefully, the dance is whispering... : articulating praxis identity and place through dance

University of British Columbia

With a series of dance solos called Lugs, I have been exploring notions of emotional and physical displacement through the telling of personal stories, mine and others. This thesis explores concepts and theories, which brings an articulation to my practice as artist, researcher and teacher. With A/r/tography and Performative Inquiry as foundational methodologies utilizing transmediation techniques; specifically image, text, and spoken work to embodiment. Through a variety of performance theories, I probe the moments in my improvised performances where the immediacy and integrity of my decision making process works in direct relation to the audience, the story, the performance artefacts and the context. In this investigation I explore further notions of Appelbaum's (1995) Stop and Fels' (1998) Space Moments of learning where an absolute astuteness and availability to the moment allows for possibilities of change. The thesis recalls many Lug performances, artist residencies and a conference presentation; these reflections are woven between theorists such as Bhaktin, Butler, Bhabha, Irwin, Fels and practitioners, Babar and Brecht. Through two simple charts, one created at the beginning of my research period and one at the end, the thesis illuminates an important shift in the problemetizing of my practice addressing the importance of the hermeneutic reading of my practice and emphasising that the articulation gained in my methods and theories allows for a greater commitment to being present to the unknown variables I invite into my work which generate from this liminal and space of inquiry. My emblematic phrase ends the thesis; Listen carefully, the dance is whispering….

Text

2011-03-09

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http://hdl.handle.net/2429/32192

Cross-Faculty Inquiry in Education

University of British Columbia

Graduate