Dancing Communities: Performance, Difference, and Connection in the Global City

253 Pages·2007·1.345 MB·English

by  Judith Hamera (auth.)

Dancing Communities
Performance, Difference, and Connection
in the Global City
Judith Hamera
Dancing Communities
StudiesinInternationalPerformance
PublishedinassociationwiththeInternationalFederationofTheatreResearch
GeneralEditors:JanelleReineltandBrianSingleton
Culture and performance cross borders constantly, and not just the borders
thatdefinenations.Inthisnewseries,scholarsofperformanceproduceinterac-
tionsbetweenandamongnationsandculturesaswellasgenres,identitiesand
imaginations.
Inter-nationalinthelargestsense,thebookscollectedintheStudiesinInternational
Performanceseriesdisplayarangeofhistorical,theoreticalandcriticalapproaches
to the panoply of performances that make up the global surround. The series
embraces‘Culture’whichisinstitutionalaswellasimprovised,undergroundor
alternate,andtreats‘Performance’aseitherinterculturalortransnationalaswell
asintraculturalwithinnations.
Titlesinclude:
ChristopherBalme
PACIFICPERFORMANCES
TheatricalityandCross-CulturalEncounterintheSouthSeas
JudithHamera
DANCINGCOMMUNITIES
Performance,DifferenceandConnectionintheGlobalCity
JoanneTompkins
UNSETTLINGSPACE
ContestationsinContemporaryAustralianTheatre
Forthcomingtitles:
ElaineAstonandSue-EllenCase(editors)
PERFORMINGGLOBALFEMINISMS
HelenGilbertandJacquelineLo
PERFORMANCEANDCOSMOPOLITICS
Cross-CulturalTransactionsinAustralasia
AdrianKear
THEATREANDEVENT
StudiesinInternationalPerformance
SeriesStandingOrderISBN978-1-4039-4435-1(hardback)
978-1-4039-4436-8(paperback)
(outsideNorthAmericaonly)
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Dancing Communities
Performance, Difference, and Connection
in the Global City
Judith Hamera
©JudithHamera2007
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Hamera,Judith.
Dancingcommunities:performance,difference,andconnection
intheglobalcity/JudithHamera.
p. cm.
1. Dance“Socialaspects. 2. Dance“Psychologicalaspects.
3. Performingarts“Socialaspects. 4. Communication“Social
aspects. I. Title.
GV1595.H322007
306.4(cid:2)84“dc22 2006047263
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16 15 14 13 12 11 10 09 08 07
For Alfred, best partner ever
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Contents
ListofIllustrations ix
Acknowledgements x
SeriesEditor’sPreface xiv
Introduction:DancingtheCity 1
Aesthetics,technique,andthesociallivesofdance 3
Dancingplaces,placingdances 9
Joyfulattachments 12
1 IntimaciesinMotion 17
PARTI PROTOCOLSFORINTIMACY 19
PARTII REFORMINGINTIMACYINPILATESTRAINING 25
Corporealverities,metaphoricambiguities 32
PARTIII ROMANCINGMONSTERS,CONSUMINGLOOKS 36
Possessingperformanceand/astheplayofthevicarious 36
Definingvirtuosity,engagingmonstrosity 40
Oguri:sacredmonster 43
Technologiesofmonstrosity 47
2 CorporealChronotopes:MakingPlaceandKeepingTime
inBallet 60
PART I BODIES IN TIME AND SPACE: CORPOREAL
CHRONOTOPESINBALLET 64
Keepingtime 64
Taking,andmaking,place 65
Corporealchronotopes 72
PARTII HOMEGIRLS:GENDEREDSELF-FASHIONING
ANDSOLIDARITYATLESTUDIO 77
Wheretheheartis:threestoriesofballetinLosAngeles 77
Parentalinvestments,culturalcapital 87
Hidinginthelight 92
On her toes: pains and pleasures of creation in
community 99
PARTIII HOMEBOYSONFAULTLINES:MASCULINITY
ATLESTUDIO 107
vii
viii Contents
Standingout:consolidatinghomosocialityindancing
communities 123
Anxiouspedagogy,ambivalentagency 131
3 ‘Saving’KhmerClassicalDanceinLongBeach 138
Answerablebodies/unclaimedexperience 139
Technologiesofanswerability 150
4 Dancing Other-Wise: Ethics, Difference and
TranscendenceinHaeKyungLeeandDancers 172
‘Theuniverse’spiece’ 174
Referenttroubleandthemetaphysicalperformative 174
‘Givingenergy’ 183
Energy,ethicsandcorporealcommitments 183
‘Humanonstage’ 188
Metaphysicalperformativesandalterity 188
Metaphysicalvocabulariesandreadingchoreography 194
‘(cid:2)(cid:2)(cid:2)likethewordsIcannotfind,beyondwords (cid:2)(cid:2)(cid:2)’:
dancingtheethicaltransformationofgrief 203
Conclusion:DancingCommunities–IdeasofOrder,Queer
Intimacies,CivicInfrastructure 207
Notes 213
WorksCited 222
Index 233
List of Illustrations
1.1 InteriorshotofLeStudioFitnessandPilatesapparatus,
2005 28
1.2 Oguri, Effect of Salt. California State University, Los
AngelesStatePlayhouse,1996 47
1.3 Oguri,BehindEyeball.LaBoca/TheSunshineMission,1995 49
1.4 Oguri,‘Draught,’HeightoftheSky,2002 51
4.1 MiguelOlveraandClaudiaLopezofHaeKyungLeeand
Dancers.‘BlankSlate’fromSeventhHeavenseries 185
4.2 KishisaRossandJulioMoranofHaeKyungLeeand
Dancers.‘BlankSlate’fromSeventhHeavenseries 186
4.3 ClaudiaLopez,ClaudiaMedina,andPatriciaWarrenof
HaeKyungLeeandDancers.BeyondtheAncientMist.
CaliforniaStateUniversity,LosAngelesStatePlayhouse,
1999 196
4.4 ClaudiaLopezandMiguelOlvera.DuetfromAncient
Mariners.GrandPerformances,CaliforniaPlaza,2000 201
ix