This thesis spans two fields – South African dance and the philosophy of humour – and attempts to link them through an understanding of their formal mechanisms. I attempt to establish two main ideas: that there is a need for a critical praxis in South African dance, and that humour in dance can be part of this process. In Chapter One, I discuss elements of the South African dance and theatre industries pre- and post-1994 towards arguing my first point (that South African dance would benefit from a critical praxis). I probe some of the challenges facing artists and describe how choreographers are dealing thematically and stylistically (but not formally) with the concept of the ‘New’ South Africa. Through an investigation of concerns voiced by critics regarding choreographic form in the country, I argue that South African dance would benefit from critical formal investigations in dance-making. Finally, I discuss traditional views of humour in South African dance/theatre and in philosophy, which suggest that humour is predominantly seen as frivolous and unworthy of serious attention. Chapter Two, I offer a defence for humour’s more profound critical aspects, suggesting that humour can in fact be seen as critical ‘thinking in action’. A discussion of theories about humour reveals that the basis for humour is the incongruous. A subsequent discussion of form in theatre and dance shows how the incongruous might work within dance form to create meta-dance. In this way, I attempt to link the two fields of humour and South African dance and to make the connection between the critical capacities of meta-dance and those of humour. I suggest, in other words, that humour in dance can create a critical awareness, of the likes advocated in Chapter One. In Chapter Three, I discuss aspects of two works: my own This part should be uncomfortable (2008) and Nelisiwe Xaba’s Plasticization (2004). The two analyses differ from each other as does the humour in both works. Despite the differences, I argue that humour in both works is operating on a critical level that includes a meta-level of signification.

Déplacement est un paradigme qui permet de décrire les procédés que j’utilise pour m’organiser en tant qu’individu, artiste et chercheur. Mon processus se fait en mouvement constant que ce soit dans un contexte particulier ou entre différents contextes, aussi en perpétuel mouvements. Bouger et être bougé, déplacer et être déplacé sont des procédés qui impliquent une lecture ininterrompue des contextes, la création de situations appropriées, et/ ou une utilisation réfléchie de situations existantes. Cela appelle des attitudes de présence, de distanciation et de (re-)positionnement. Cinq méthodes et trois pratiques sont nées du temps consacré à cette recherche développée dans le cadre d’un doctorat. Celles-ci sont proposées, partagées afin d’inviter le lecteur à un jeu de perception(s) et de positionnement(s) en vue d’un déplacement. Ma thèse intitulée “Displacement(s) as Method(s)”, est une matrice constituée de plusieurs formats (lettre, catalogue, conversation) et médias (texte, film, etc.) dont l’objectif est d’analyser mes œuvres, méthodes, pratiques et outils. Il est possible d’y circuler à son gré, de suivre le processus de son choix et de consacrer un temps qui peut aller de quelques minutes à plusieurs heures. Le lecteur est invité à plonger dans un travail qui a ses propres réalités, temporalités et espaces. Chaque notion, chaque positionnement, chaque format et chaque proposition artistique sont des fragments d’une recherche développée et mise en pratique pendant quatre années. Les multiples éléments de cette recherche entraînent des divergences et des superpositions qui densifient ma proposition d’articulation. / Displacement is a paradigm I use to describe the ways in which I organize myself and invite others to reposition themselves while being in constant movement in and between contexts that are also in perpetual motion. Move and be moved, displace and be displaced are principles that (i) imply constant readings of contexts, the creation of appropriate situations, or/and informed uses of existing situations; and (ii) call for attitudes of presence, distanciation, and (re-)positioning. Five methods and three practices came out of the time dedicated to search and research within my PhD project. My thesis, titled “Displacement(s) as Method(s)”, is a matrix of several formats (such as letter, catalogue, conversation) and media (text, film, etc.), which I used to filter my works, methods, practices, and tools. Within this matrix, one can choose one’s own journey and process, and the time one wants to dedicate to and invest in it – from a few minutes to several hours. The reader is invited to dive into a work that has its own reality, temporality, and space. Each notion, positioning, format, and work is a fragment of the research I have processed over the last four years. These diverging and overlapping elements and components are numerous and multiple; they nourish and densify my proposition of an articulation.

This thesis spans two fields - South African dance and the philosophy of humour - and attempts to link them through an understanding of their formal mechanisms. I attempt to establish two main ideas: that there is a need for a critical praxis in South African dance, and that humour in dance can be part of this process. In Chapter One, I discuss elements of the South African dance and theatre industries pre- and post-1994 towards arguing my first point (that South African dance would benefit from a critical praxis). I probe some of the challenges facing artists and describe howchoreographers are dealing thematically and stylistically (but not formally) with the concept of the 'New' South Africa. Through an investigation of concerns voiced by critics regarding choreographic form in the country, I argue that South African dance would benefit from critical formal investigations in dance-making. Finally, I discuss traditional views of humour in South African dance/theatre and in philosophy, which suggest that humour is predominantly seen as frivolous and unworthy of serious attenfion. In Chapter Two, I offer a defence for humour's more profound critical aspects, suggesting that humour can in fact be seen as critical 'thinking in action'. A discussion of theories about humour reveals that the basis for humour is the incongruous. A subsequent discussion of form in theatre and dance shows how the incongruous might work within dance form to create meta-dance. In this way, I attempt to link the two fields of humour and South African dance and to make the connection between the critical capaci~ies of meta-dance and those of humour. I suggest, in other words, that humour in dance can create a critical awareness, of the likes advocated in Chapter One. In Chapter Three, I discuss aspects of two works: my own This part should be uncomfortable (2008) and Nelisiwe Xaba's Plasticization (2004). The two analyses differ from each other as does the humour in both works. Despite the differences, I argue that humour in both works is operating on a critical level that includes a meta-level of signification.

Ögonblicksbilder - A discussion about the interactive and choreographic relation between body and spatial object. The eye, an organ with many sections, has a significant role in today’s society. We can choose what is received (news, surroundings, people) and what we turn a blind eye to. The gaze is somewhat physical and the sections within the eye define the space around us. Body and space are in constant relation to one another, choreographed by each other. Together they create a common sphere.

Funcionalidades de software expostas como serviços Web são cada vez mais comuns e suas formas de composição e coordenação são cada vez mais imprescindíveis. Orquestração e coreografia, tradicionais abordagens de composição de serviços Web, são providas por ferramentas voltadas ao gerenciamento de processos de negócio com diferentes enfoques. Apesar do sucesso dessas abordagens, existem ainda desafios a serem superados, tais como a dificuldade de manutenção em fluxos de controle já existentes, o custo de comunicação associado às interações com os serviços Web, o conhecimento do processo de negócio por parte dos serviços e ainda a compatibilidade dos mesmos em uma composição. Como alternativa às abordagens tradicionais, esta dissertação propõe o uso da abordagem WED-flow para composição de serviços Web, de modo que a execução de processos de negócio seja orientada pelas alterações do estado dos dados. Na abordagem proposta, o fluxo de controle não é um requisito, mas sim uma consequência da execução dos serviços Web, o que proporciona maior flexibilidade para o desenvolvimento e a manutenção das aplicações. Mais concretamente, a primeira contribuição deste trabalho é a proposição e a avaliação de cenários possíveis de orquestração e coreografia de acordo com critérios pré-definidos. A segunda contribuição é a implementação da abordagem WED-flow para a composição de serviços Web, bem como sua validação prática e sua avaliação em relação aos cenários de coreografia e orquestração. / Features of software exposed as Web services are becoming more common and their forms of composition and coordination are increasingly essential. Orchestration and choreography, traditional approaches for Web service compositions, are provided by tools that manage business processes with different approaches. Despite the success of these approaches, there are still challenges to be overcome such as the difficulty of maintaining flows in existing control, the communication cost associated with Web service interactions, knowledge of the business process by the services and even their compatibility in service compositions. As an alternative to traditional approaches, this paper proposes the use of WED-flow approach for Web services composition, so that the execution of business processes is driven by changes in data states. In our approach, the control flow is not a requirement but a consequence of the Web service execution, which provides greater flexibility for the development and maintenance of applications. More specifically, the first contribution of this work is to propose and evaluate possible scenarios of orchestration and choreography according to predefined criteria. The second contribution of this work is the implementation of WED-flow approach for Web service compositions, as well as its validation in the choreography and orchestration scenarios.

This essay is one part of my Bachelor's degree project, the other part being a dance performance with the title practical, efficient, necessary that was premiered in January of 2021. The essay discusses the main problem of the project (which was necessary movements and the lack thereof in dance) as for thoughts and methods that was used in the project in working with the theme of necessity. The essay begins by looking into movements of necessity from the perspective of a necessary movement being a practical movement that is in relation to survival and sprung out of urgency. It further explores necessary movements from the martial arts-perspective, and more specifically Muay Thai. The essay touches upon subjects such as the nervous system and the stress response as for preparatory movements as long term responses to urgency, while also looking into body-mind split theories. The essay also discusses protests as a method of self-defence, referring to artist and activist Rodney Diverlus analysis of the movements used in Black Lives Matter demonstrations. The main reference and conversation partner to many of the topics discussed in the essay is Pragmatist philosopher John Dewey and his thoughts in Art as Experience (1932) and Experience and Nature (1925). Further the essay describes the various methods used in the process of making the performance such as 'systematic choreographing' and 'temporary truths'. This allowed for further explorations of topics in the essay such as the starting and ending of movements, the power of repetition and sounds as necessity. The essay ends with reflections and refiguring of the concept of necessary movements. / <p>This work includes both a performing and a written part.</p>

Reflections is a dance I choreographed and performed on February 25, 2022 in studio 205 Campus Center Building at East Tennessee State University. The dance explores the relationship between a dancer’s mind and body and uses mirrors and repetition to express the dancers’ perception of their flaws and insecurities. The following thesis, Reflections: Battling Body Image as a Dancer, analyzes the artistic elements of the choreographic process, my experiences as a dance student at ETSU from 2018-2022, as well as my training in my youth. My research for this thesis involves exploring the history and craft of choreography including the fundamentals of Laban Movement Analysis. In addition, my research includes a survey concerning body dysmorphia in dancers. In theory and practice, I accepted the challenge of stepping outside my comfort zone to create an emotional and physical dance composition that serves to demonstrate a dancer fighting a battle with body image.

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This essay contains a discussion of my influences for making the choreographic work The Horrors of:, which was the practical part of an examination for the degree work of the bachelor’s Programme in Dance Performance at Stockholms Konstnärliga Högskola in the fall of 2022. The horrors of: is an exploration of women in horror and the potentiality of the monstrous feminine. Inspired by Julia Kristeva’s concept of abjection, Barbara Creed’s concept of the monstrous-feminine as well as films in the body horror genre, a search to represent the subjectivity of the women depicted in horror through dance emerged. In the body horror genre, the female characters are neither villains nor heroes, but complex characters who possess the capacity to both do good and destroy.    The text is divided in two parts: The first part dissects how the process was generated from researching the topics of femininity and abjection into a staged choreographic work and the second part contains a collage of poems along with other material collected from the artistic research process.

This essay is one part of my Bachelor’s degree project, the other part being the dance performance OUR VISIONIS FROM HELL. / 34°10'26.6"N 118°39'50.4"W, which was presented in November 2022 at Stockholm University of the Arts. The work was inspired by certain events around the breakup between musician Kanye West and reality star Kim Kardashian. The text aims to further articulate, explain and discuss the topics of the piece, which were heartbreak, violence and pop culture in the arts, as well as referencing the American writers bell hooks and Susan Sontag and their approach to these issues. The essay also goes into the research, conversations and different thinking processes from and within the work. The text is written as a fictional letter to Kanye West and desires to question and criticize his behavior during the fall of 2022.