University publication. Originally presented as the author's thesis (doctoral - Utrecht) under the title: Risk-taking and large-group (dance) improvisation. Includes bibliographical references (pages 254-268).
Contents:
Introduction : Not knowing and responsibility -- "Culture of Fear" and innovation in advanced capitalism -- Choreography-improvisation in advanced capitalism -- Risk-taking in the arts -- Approaches to improvisation : O'Donnell's "Responsible Anarchy" (RA) -- O'Donnell's "Holding Form" (HF) -- Rodrigues's "Anthropology" -- Way of working -- Structure. Dance improvisation and risk-taking, a literature review, intro : Literature review -- Dimensions pertaining to risk-taking: an overview -- Conclusion. Dance improvisation and choreography, intro : A (brief) historical account of dance improvisation as the "other" of choreography. Spontaneity, intro : The etymology of spontaneity -- Moren's theory of spontaneity -- Preparedness -- Conscious thinking -- Novelty -- Conclusion. Theories and understandings of risk outside of dance, intro : Early usages of risk and risk from mid-20th century onwards : Uncertainty and risk -- Danger and risk -- Prediction, anticipation, and expectation -- Realist versus constructivist: epistemologies of risk : Cultural theory -- Systems theory : Decision-making -- Governmentality -- Edgework -- Conclusion. The question of how to be together on stage, intro : How to be together: a shared concern -- In relation to the spatiotemporal context of the works -- In relation to edge or boundaries -- In relation to self-control and responsibility -- In relation to failure, listening, and trust -- In relation to decision-making -- Conclusion. Epilogue: the question of how to be together in the world : Appendices -- Cited bibliography -- Acknowledgments.
Summary:
This book examines the often-posited opposition between dance improvisation and choreography, despite the emergence in the last fifteen or twenty years of an all-encompassing, expanded notion of choreography. in this alleged relation of opposition, choreography is often identified with the "known" and improvisation the "unknown." Concomitantly, the more unknown and spontaneous the action, the more risk-taking will be involved. this book challenges this opposition and proposes that choreography and improvisation are indeed different approaches to making dances, but their differences are best exposed when one thinks of spontaneity, the notion at the core of the difference but hardly scrutinized, in a more dimensional, situated and less determined manner. Doing this helps us to understand not only how improvisation is indeed not just "spontaneous and free" and choreography not just a "system of command and obedience," but also how improvisation does not necessarily entail more risk-taking than choreography. Risk-taking is as a multifaceted, distributed and situated process as are improvisation and choreography. in order to argue for this, the book engages with the work of two choreographers, Mary O'Donnell (Fulkerson) and Lia Rodrigues, as well as a vast and eclectic number of theories.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.