Emerging Bodies

The concept of »worldmaking« is based on the idea that 'the world' is not given, but rather produced through language, actions, ideas and perception. This collection of essays takes a closer look at various hybrid and disparate worlds related to dance and choreography. Coming from a broad range of different backgrounds and disciplines, the authors inquire into the ways of producing 'dance worlds': through artistic practice, discourse and media, choreographic form and dance material. The essays in this volume critically reflect the predominant topos of dance as something fleeting and ephemeral - an embodiment of the Other in modernity. Moreover, they demonstrate that there is more than just one universal »world of dance«, but rather a multitude of interrelated dance worlds with more emerging every day.

Gabriele Klein is professor of sociology of movement and dance and director of performance studies at the University of Hamburg. Her research fields are social and political theory of dance, choreography and performance, body politics and transnational popular dance cultures. Sandra Noeth is head of dramaturgy at »Tanzquartier Wien«. 2006-2009 she was research assistant at the University of Hamburg. Her research interests are ethics and politics of the body and dramaturgical methods in contemporary dance and choreography.