Hello!
In my Dance Philosophy & Criticism course this semester, we have finally reached the unit on queer critical theory. This has obviously been very exciting for me as it relates to my blog topic and the ideas I have been pondering while creating these posts. In class, we read an article by Thomas F. DeFrantz, the Chair of African and African American Studies, and Professor of Dance and Theater Studies, at Duke University. DeFrantz is an intellectually artistic writer, whose wit and occasional sarcasm aid in his thought provoking articles about queer dance.
One quote that I love from his article entitled Queer Dance in Three Acts is,
“queer-made dances intend to stand as demonstrations of the variability of an outsider space, but at some point they also tend to look like well-made dances
that just happen to be somehow queer. this is the challenge of recognizability;
that structure understood is structure normalized and most likely un-queer.
how to make something that continually demonstrates its non-normativity?”
What DeFrantz is saying is that queer dance can be presented in two ways. It can use the structures of western concert dance, such as performing in a theater with seats facing the stage, and well rehearsed choreography, but change them. Some queer choreographers will invite people onto stage for an interactive experience, use no music, or an improvisational structure that creates a different show every time. Queer dance can also be a complete rejection of these performance structures, existing in any space, with little to no structure. DeFrantz asks how we can make dance that continually reinforces its non-normativity. This is queer dance at it’s core. Something different, strange, or makes you think in a different way. Breaking long established structures is the heart of queer dance.
Throughout this article, DeFrantz continues to reiterate that any art made by queer people is inherently queer. We have choices surrounding how we express our identity and personal stories through art. Rest assured that no matter what you choose to make, no matter how small, it is still queer.
That’s all for now!
Kennedy
Comments