Dance Dramaturgy

Ten international dramaturg-scholars advance proposals that reset notions of agency in contemporary dance creation. Dramaturgy becomes driven by artistic inquiry, distributed among collaborating artists, embedded in improvisation tasks, or weaved through audience engagement, and the dramaturg becomes a facilitator of dramaturgical awareness.

“The book is a dynamic and engaging ‘performance lab’ for dramaturgs, dancers, and choreographers interested in the field of dance dramaturgy. … There is little doubt that Hansen and Callison have curated an anthology that will be a touchstone for our field.” (Jess Applebaum, Dance Research Journal, Vol. 49 (3), December, 2017)“The collection includes nine compelling essays and an overview from Hansen that serves to outline the (fuzzy, porous, kinetic) contours of dance dramaturgy in the twenty-first century. The essays describe the dance dramaturg using various theoretical and practical models practiced by the authors. Dance Dramaturgy, like most essay collections, necessarily offers breadth, touching down rather than diving deep into its subject … . This study offers much to consider for scholars, practitioners, and educators alike.” (Ariel Nereson, Theatre Journal, Vol. 69 (1), March, 2017)

Pil Hansen is Assistant Professor in Dance and Drama at the University of Calgary, Canada, and dramaturg of Vertical City Performance and Kaeja d’Dance.  Her research results and methods in cognitive performance studies and dramaturgy have been published widely. Darcey Callison is a choreographer and Associate Professor in Dramaturgy and Choreography at York University, Canada. His research mobilizes cultural studies, Authentic Movement, and postmodern dance to examine contemporary and historical expressions of gender. Contributors: Bojana Bauer, University Lille 3, France;  André Lepecki, New York University, USA; Maaike Bleeker, Utrecht University, Netherlands; Freya Vass-Rhee, University of Kent, UK;  Vida L. Midgelow, Middlesex University, UK;  Nanako Nakajima, Aichi University, Japan; Katherine Profeta, Queens College, CUNY, USA; Thomas F. DeFrantz, Duke University, USA; Bonnie Brooks, Columbia College Chicago, USA.