This thesis examines the evolution of dance works by two Japanese-American choreographers, Eiko and Koma. Growing up in the politically turbulent 1960s in Japan, their entrance into the world of dance was motivated by philosophical inquiry into Japanese society. Briefly trained under early Butoh pioneers in Japan, they traveled from Japan to Europe, and eventually came to the U.S. Their dance career began in the early 1970s and continues to this day. Using Janet Wolff's concept of art as an expression of artist's Lebenswelt, this thesis defines Eiko and Koma's dance works as a comprehensive expression. Lebenswelt is not limited to representation of particular life experiences. Instead the artists' participation in different social contexts shapes the subjective meanings of the art they create. I chose five works, White Dance: Moth, Grain, Lament, Land, and Cambodian Stories as the signature representations of different phases in their career. These five works reveal common threads which both represent Eiko and Koma's aesthetics as well as encapsulate their philosophy towards dance and, on the greater scale, towards life. This thesis serves as one of the first scholarly research papers focusing on Eiko and Koma and their dance forms. It is the hope of this author that the thesis provides the groundwork from which other scholarly research is conducted. / A Thesis submitted to the Department of Dance in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of
Arts. / Summer Semester, 2009. / October 18, 2007. / Eiko, Koma, Dance, Performance, Performing, Japanese, Japan, Art, History, Post-war, Butoh, Contemporary Dance, Modern Dance, Experimental, 1960s, 1970s, Movement, Fine Art / Includes bibliographical references. / Sally R. Sommer, Professor Directing Thesis; Tricia H. Young, Committee Member; John O. Perpener, III, Committee Member.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:fsu.edu/oai:fsu.digital.flvc.org:fsu_254137 |
| Contributors | Letton, Shoko Yamahata (authoraut), Sommer, Sally R. (professor directing thesis), Young, Tricia H. (committee member), Perpener, John O. (committee member), School of Dance (degree granting department), Florida State University (degree granting institution) |
| Publisher | Florida State University, Florida State University |
| Source Sets | Florida State University |
| Language | English, English |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Text, text |
| Format | 1 online resource, computer, application/pdf |
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