Abstract

In my dissertation I undertake an examination of four of the predominate methodologies employed in twentieth century western dance aesthetics in order to conduct a mapping of the conceptual systems informing dance philosophy. My goal in investigating these aesthetic texts is to understand their place within cultural discourse and to explore ways in which they might engage more deeply with the social aspects of dance practices. I ask the question: "How can dance aesthetics become a more self-reflexive process?" ;In the dissertation I read a series of dance aesthetics texts through the lens of the post-structuralist critique of the "Real" in an attempt to historicize the field of dance aesthetics. I focus on texts that each utilize one of four methodologies representing the most significant contributions to dance aesthetics from North American and British philosophy: descriptive/prescriptive, analytic, phenomenological, and symbolic pragmatism. The texts examined range from Susanne Langer's Feeling and Form in 1953 to Julie Van Camp's Philosophical Problems of Dance Criticism in 1981 to Maxine Sheets-Johnstone's The Primacy of Movement in 1999. Having provided a comprehensive examination of the dominant approaches to dance aesthetics, I apply each of these methodologies to a series of dances by different choreographers. Through the application of the theories to the individual dances I am able to compare and contrast the different approaches to dance aesthetics and to put dance aesthetics into dialogue with dance as practiced, providing a historical perspective of the field. ;My research into twentieth century dance aesthetics reveals the importance of developing the concepts of identity and meaning in relationship to the historical, social and cultural discourses of a particular dance, as well as the subject position of the choreographer and performers. However I also show that dance aesthetics requires a concept of subjectivity that will allow scholars and practitioners to recognize commonalties at work in dances across genres and functions