The grounded theory of this dissertation is that 'the dancing body makes sense of place'. This theory is investigated through hermeneutic praxis based on the theoretical perspective of phenomenology. In exploring how the dancing body experiences place, it is the processes that underlie and give form to dance that capture my attention. 'The dancing body makes sense of place' is a phrase that liberates the description and consideration of the non-verbal processes that underlie the dance/place interface. The phrase offers the possibility of communicating coexisting processes. Interpreted as 'the dancing body makes (sense of place)', the phrase suggests that the development of a 'sense of place' is an outcome of the action of dance. Whilst interpreted as 'the dancing body makes sense of (place)', the phrase implies the understanding of 'place' through dance. The hermeneutic praxis described in this dissertation, is comprised of memory retrieval sessions which allude to how the 'dancing body' experiences space, place and sense of place. During praxis, it emerges that the dancing body infers 'sense of place' through spheres of experience, that may be described as the; 'propriosphere, kinesphere, near-sphere', and 'far-sphere'. Praxis also reveals that the 'dancing body''s' relationship to place in integral in the development of a sense of belonging / Master of Arts (Hons)

The main purpose of the essay is to serve as a documentation of my research practice on the movement of the tailbone and its connections to my dancing body. The essay is being written from my personal perspective which springs out of my interest in the importance of using the tailbone whilst dancing. In the first part of the text I have included personal information to the reader about where my interest in the movement of the tailbone arose. One of the methods during the research was to write a process diary as a way to combine a physical practice and writing practice. This process diary is now a big part of this essay. In the essay you as a redear can follow how the research has transformed and changed throughout working time on the project. The second part of the essay reflects on the process of researching the tailbone-ing movement practice and what the practical presentation should look like. In the last pages of the essay you find a choreographic score which is both a documentation of the practice as well as a score to perform it. Working on the essay opens up new possibilties for further research on the importance of the tailbone and the pelvic floor in the dancing body. / <p>This master work includes both a performing and a written part. </p>

Proponho uma reflexão sobre a prática coreográfica em dança com uma comunidade específica: os alunos do Ensino Médio do Colégio Estadual Júlio de Castilhos, de Porto Alegre – RS. Investigando um contexto institucional, público e de ensino, meu objeto de estudo centra-se no corpo como inscrição social e dançante, articulando procedimentos coreográficos com grandes grupos. Busco compreender a coreografia, sobretudo, como ato político e como teorização de identidade – corporal, individual e social (FOSTER, 2011) –, além de compreendê-la como possível catalisador na proposta de indicar o corpo social como corpo dançante, e vice-versa. Para este projeto prático, escolho procedimentos ligados às danças urbanas, e especialmente a Hip Hop Dance, mantendo como principais referências estudos nacionais, Rodrigues (2006), Ribeiro e Cardoso (2011), e estudos estrangeiros, Faure Marie-Carmen Garcia (2002, 2003, 2005). Aspectos da etnografia, como o recurso fotográfico, são pensados como método de observação sobre o corpo e o gesto dos alunos, tendo como suportes os conceitos de capital, habitus e campo (BOURDIEU, 1994). A transposição de conceitos sociológicos para o âmbito da dança contemporânea é experimentada a fim de alimentar as reflexões que compreendem o corpo e suas relações sociais de poder e pertencimentos. Como referência disso, aponto autores como Sylvia Faure (2001), Helen Thomas (2003), Pierre-Emmanuel Sorignet (2004) e Suzane Weber da Silva (2010). Como método de pesquisa, opto pela teoria enraizada (STRAUSS; CORBIN, 1990; PAILLÉ 1994). Os resultados desse processo conduziram uma criação coreográfica em larga escala com um grupo de jovens do Colégio, acompanhada por esse memorial reflexivo-crítico de criação. / I propose a reflection about the choreographic practice in dance with a specific community: the secondary school students from Colégio Estadual Júlio de Castilhos, Porto Alegre – RS. Investigating an institutional, public and scholar context, my study object focuses on the body as social and dancing inscription, studying and articulating choreographic procedures with large groups. I try to understand the choreography especially as a political act and as theorization of identity - corporeal, individual, and social (FOSTER, 2011), as well as understand it as a possible catalyst in the proposal for imagine the social body as dancing body, and vice versa. For this practical project, I choose procedures related to urban dances, and especially the Hip Hop Dance by keeping as main references national studies, Rodrigues (2006), Ribeiro and Cardoso (2011), and foreign studies, Faure Marie-Carmen Garcia (2002, 2003, 2005). Ethnographic aspects, as the photographic resource, are thought of as observation method over the body and gesture of the students, taking as supports the concepts of capital, habitus and field (Bourdieu, 1994). The transposition of sociological concepts to the field of contemporary dance has been tried to feed the reflections that understand the body and its social power relations and belongings. I point out as reference authors like Sylvia Faure (2001), Helen Thomas (2003), Pierre-Emmanuel Sorignet (2004) and Suzane Weber da Silva (2010). As a research method I choose the grounded theory (STRAUSS; CORBIN, 1990; PAILLÉ 1994). The results of this process have led a choreographic creation on a large scale with a group of young students of the College, accompanied by this reflective-critical memorial of creation.

La thèse définit ce qui pourrait être une saisie du mouvement et interroge la possibilité d'écrire et de lire la danse. La belle danse, dont l'origine, la contextualisation, et la définition en tant que style sont présentés dans le premier chapitre est prise comme cas d'école. Le second chapitre est rédigé dans la perspective du scripteur et il présente une analyse de la notation Beauchamps-Feuillet. Le troisième chapitre, qui adopte le point de vue du lecteur, définit les règles implicites de la belle danse, déductible de l'analyse des sources, et propose une analyse de la "Türkish Dance" (c.1725), due au chorégraphe Antony L'Abbé et au notateur François le Roussau. La thèse se réfère aux recherches de Guillemette Bolens pour la compréhension de l'usage de l'empathie kinesthésique pour l'écriture et la lecture, comme à des recherches cognitivistes récentes (Alva Noë). Elle se réfère aux recherches d'Etienne Darbellay et à leur cadre théorique, par exemple la théorie de la métaphore (Jakoff & Johnson; Zbikowski pour son usage en musicologie) et la compréhension des processus mémoriels (Croisile). Elle prend en compte certaines études, cruciales pour la compréhension de la belle danse, de son écriture et de sa lecture (Francine Lancelot et Marina Nordera par exemple). / This thesis defines if dance could be grasps, and how. Belle danse is taken as a "cas d'école" for unswering this question. Belle danse's origin, contextualisation and definition are given in the first chapter. The second chapter embraces the scriptwriter perspective to analyse Beauchamps-Feuillet notation. The third chapter adopts the reader's perspective (if "reading" can mean "decode", " analyse", "interpret" and "perform".) This chapter explicits some of belle danse's rules that are implicitly explained in the sources. It analyses the "Türkish Dance" (c. 1725). This score —and this dance— has been choreographed by Antony L'Abbé, and notated by François le Roussau. This thesis is written in reference to Guillemette Bolens researches that takes in acount the use of kinesthesis for writing and reading actions. It points to Etienne Darbellay's research based both on "théorie de la métaphore" (Lakoff and Johnson) and memory's process understanding (Croisile), and to crucial researches on belle danse writing and reading, particularly those of Marina Nordera.

Proponho uma reflexão sobre a prática coreográfica em dança com uma comunidade específica: os alunos do Ensino Médio do Colégio Estadual Júlio de Castilhos, de Porto Alegre – RS. Investigando um contexto institucional, público e de ensino, meu objeto de estudo centra-se no corpo como inscrição social e dançante, articulando procedimentos coreográficos com grandes grupos. Busco compreender a coreografia, sobretudo, como ato político e como teorização de identidade – corporal, individual e social (FOSTER, 2011) –, além de compreendê-la como possível catalisador na proposta de indicar o corpo social como corpo dançante, e vice-versa. Para este projeto prático, escolho procedimentos ligados às danças urbanas, e especialmente a Hip Hop Dance, mantendo como principais referências estudos nacionais, Rodrigues (2006), Ribeiro e Cardoso (2011), e estudos estrangeiros, Faure Marie-Carmen Garcia (2002, 2003, 2005). Aspectos da etnografia, como o recurso fotográfico, são pensados como método de observação sobre o corpo e o gesto dos alunos, tendo como suportes os conceitos de capital, habitus e campo (BOURDIEU, 1994). A transposição de conceitos sociológicos para o âmbito da dança contemporânea é experimentada a fim de alimentar as reflexões que compreendem o corpo e suas relações sociais de poder e pertencimentos. Como referência disso, aponto autores como Sylvia Faure (2001), Helen Thomas (2003), Pierre-Emmanuel Sorignet (2004) e Suzane Weber da Silva (2010). Como método de pesquisa, opto pela teoria enraizada (STRAUSS; CORBIN, 1990; PAILLÉ 1994). Os resultados desse processo conduziram uma criação coreográfica em larga escala com um grupo de jovens do Colégio, acompanhada por esse memorial reflexivo-crítico de criação. / I propose a reflection about the choreographic practice in dance with a specific community: the secondary school students from Colégio Estadual Júlio de Castilhos, Porto Alegre – RS. Investigating an institutional, public and scholar context, my study object focuses on the body as social and dancing inscription, studying and articulating choreographic procedures with large groups. I try to understand the choreography especially as a political act and as theorization of identity - corporeal, individual, and social (FOSTER, 2011), as well as understand it as a possible catalyst in the proposal for imagine the social body as dancing body, and vice versa. For this practical project, I choose procedures related to urban dances, and especially the Hip Hop Dance by keeping as main references national studies, Rodrigues (2006), Ribeiro and Cardoso (2011), and foreign studies, Faure Marie-Carmen Garcia (2002, 2003, 2005). Ethnographic aspects, as the photographic resource, are thought of as observation method over the body and gesture of the students, taking as supports the concepts of capital, habitus and field (Bourdieu, 1994). The transposition of sociological concepts to the field of contemporary dance has been tried to feed the reflections that understand the body and its social power relations and belongings. I point out as reference authors like Sylvia Faure (2001), Helen Thomas (2003), Pierre-Emmanuel Sorignet (2004) and Suzane Weber da Silva (2010). As a research method I choose the grounded theory (STRAUSS; CORBIN, 1990; PAILLÉ 1994). The results of this process have led a choreographic creation on a large scale with a group of young students of the College, accompanied by this reflective-critical memorial of creation.

Proponho uma reflexão sobre a prática coreográfica em dança com uma comunidade específica: os alunos do Ensino Médio do Colégio Estadual Júlio de Castilhos, de Porto Alegre – RS. Investigando um contexto institucional, público e de ensino, meu objeto de estudo centra-se no corpo como inscrição social e dançante, articulando procedimentos coreográficos com grandes grupos. Busco compreender a coreografia, sobretudo, como ato político e como teorização de identidade – corporal, individual e social (FOSTER, 2011) –, além de compreendê-la como possível catalisador na proposta de indicar o corpo social como corpo dançante, e vice-versa. Para este projeto prático, escolho procedimentos ligados às danças urbanas, e especialmente a Hip Hop Dance, mantendo como principais referências estudos nacionais, Rodrigues (2006), Ribeiro e Cardoso (2011), e estudos estrangeiros, Faure Marie-Carmen Garcia (2002, 2003, 2005). Aspectos da etnografia, como o recurso fotográfico, são pensados como método de observação sobre o corpo e o gesto dos alunos, tendo como suportes os conceitos de capital, habitus e campo (BOURDIEU, 1994). A transposição de conceitos sociológicos para o âmbito da dança contemporânea é experimentada a fim de alimentar as reflexões que compreendem o corpo e suas relações sociais de poder e pertencimentos. Como referência disso, aponto autores como Sylvia Faure (2001), Helen Thomas (2003), Pierre-Emmanuel Sorignet (2004) e Suzane Weber da Silva (2010). Como método de pesquisa, opto pela teoria enraizada (STRAUSS; CORBIN, 1990; PAILLÉ 1994). Os resultados desse processo conduziram uma criação coreográfica em larga escala com um grupo de jovens do Colégio, acompanhada por esse memorial reflexivo-crítico de criação. / I propose a reflection about the choreographic practice in dance with a specific community: the secondary school students from Colégio Estadual Júlio de Castilhos, Porto Alegre – RS. Investigating an institutional, public and scholar context, my study object focuses on the body as social and dancing inscription, studying and articulating choreographic procedures with large groups. I try to understand the choreography especially as a political act and as theorization of identity - corporeal, individual, and social (FOSTER, 2011), as well as understand it as a possible catalyst in the proposal for imagine the social body as dancing body, and vice versa. For this practical project, I choose procedures related to urban dances, and especially the Hip Hop Dance by keeping as main references national studies, Rodrigues (2006), Ribeiro and Cardoso (2011), and foreign studies, Faure Marie-Carmen Garcia (2002, 2003, 2005). Ethnographic aspects, as the photographic resource, are thought of as observation method over the body and gesture of the students, taking as supports the concepts of capital, habitus and field (Bourdieu, 1994). The transposition of sociological concepts to the field of contemporary dance has been tried to feed the reflections that understand the body and its social power relations and belongings. I point out as reference authors like Sylvia Faure (2001), Helen Thomas (2003), Pierre-Emmanuel Sorignet (2004) and Suzane Weber da Silva (2010). As a research method I choose the grounded theory (STRAUSS; CORBIN, 1990; PAILLÉ 1994). The results of this process have led a choreographic creation on a large scale with a group of young students of the College, accompanied by this reflective-critical memorial of creation.

La thèse de doctorat-ci présente est consacrée à la recherche sur l’esthétique de la danse contemporaine de ces vingt dernières années en Europe. Après une introduction méthodologique et historique, nous présentons dans la partie principale les quatre paradigmes du corps dansant : politique, critique, poétique et virtuel, ce qui nous permet de distinguer des courants esthétiques présents dans la danse européenne à partir de1990. Cette date n’indique aucun événement en particulier, mais elle renvoie plutôt à deux faits majeurs : un historique – la fin du communisme en Europe qui a permis le développement spectaculaire de la danse contemporaine ; et un autre– esthétique – l’arrivée de la danse conceptuelle en France. Tout en citant plus que cent cinquante spectacles vus lors des nombreux festivals et théâtres européens, nous analysons par le biais de ces quatre paradigmes du corps dansant, la proximité esthétique des artistes venant à la fois de l’Europe de l’Ouest et des pays postcommunistes. Ceci nous a permis de constater qu’il n’est point possible de distinguer des différences purement esthétiques entre la danse est-européenne et occidentale, surtout à cause de la nature nomade de la création chorégraphique. Notre conclusion est donc la suivante, qu’à moment présent la danse tend à une esthétique pluridisciplinaire sinon hybride qui dépasse facilement les frontières nationales grâce à des systèmes d’éducation et créations très marqués par l’esprit nomade. Ainsi, des particularités nationales consistent surtout sur des conditions spécifiques du développement de la danse et de la production, ce qui fait l’objet d’un commentaire dans un texte attaché en annexe. / The present work is dedicated to the research on European contemporary dance aesthetics after 1990. Following short methodological and historical introduction, we present four paradigms of dancing body: political, critic, poetic and virtual, we distinguish the main aesthetics waves present in the dance in Europe within last twenty years. 1990 is not linked to any particular event but evokes two majors facts: one is historic - the end of communism in Europe, which allowed next a brilliant development of contemporary dance, the second fact is the apparition of the conceptual dance in France in nineties. By approaching the work of over eighty choreographers and hundred fifty performances seen on festivals and in the theatres all over the Europe, we are analysing via corps dansant the aesthetics proximity of the West- and Eastern choreographers. This analysis allowed us to make a statement, that there is no such a possibility to distinguish the differences on a pure aesthetical level between eastern and western European choreographers, namely because of the nomadic character of contemporary choreography. Our conclusion consist on fact, that the contemporary dance tend to a pluridisciplinary, hybrid aesthetics, and thanks to that the national frontiers are not an obstacle, especially because of the educational and creation systems marked by nomadic spirit. In consequences, the national particularities consist on specific conditions of dance development and dance production, which is an object of an analysis in annex.

This article presents observations on the artistic work of French PoC choreographer Nyota Inyoka (1896-1971). They have been written with a direct involvement in processes of becoming her dancing body. They come from the experience of a dancer and choreographer of color.

Les avancées technologiques, principalement au niveau des télécommunications, interrogent les formes de relation et les transferts d’informations dans le monde actuel. La danse contemporaine, affectée par l’usage des technologies sur la scène (image vidéo, internet, logiciel), voit se modifier les manières de chorégraphier. Si les éléments de base de la création chorégraphique, à savoir le corps dansant, l’espace scénique et le temps de la danse, sont transgressés par l’usage des technologies de la télécommunication (téléprésence), comment les chorégraphes pensent-ils et écrivent-ils la danse en incluant ces nouveaux paramètres ? Que peut perdre ou gagner la danse ? Assistons-nous à l’éveil d’une nouvelle danse, ou à l’émergence d’un autre art ? La redéfinition du corps dansant, en interaction avec son espace et son temps, se trouve au centre de cette recherche. Un projet pratique sous forme d’un laboratoire de création chorégraphique multidisciplinaire, Seuil-Lab, est proposé comme méthodologie de travail pour l’analyse théorique de cette recherche. / Technological advances, especially in telecommunications, call into question relationship modes and information transfers in today’s world. Contemporary dance has been affected by the use of technologies on stage (image, video, internet, software), which has modified choreographic practices. If the basic elements of choreographic creation - namely the dancing body, scenic space and dance time – are infringed upon by the use of technology and telecommunication (telepresence), how can choreographers think and write including these new parameters ? What can dance gain or lose ? Are we witnessing the dawn of a new dance, or the surfacing of a new art ? The redefinition of the dancing body, which interacts with its space and time, is at the core of this research. As a working methodology for the theoretical analysis of this research, we propose Seuil-Lab, a hands-on project in the form of a multidisciplinary choreographic creation lab.