Paper short abstract:

Based on a pragmatic and sensory ethnography of dancing partnerships in free-form, transformative dance, this paper considers practices that dance anthropology has left largely unexplored, and offers a new perspective on contemporary Western modes of relationship to oneself and to the others.

Paper long abstract:

"Free-form, transformative dance" refers here to the wide array of dance practices first developed in the US in the 1970's, and that are now flourishing in many Western cities (5 Rhythms, Movement Medicine, Authentic Movement, Soul Motion, etc.) Among their common features are free, non-choreographed moves, no talking, a caring ethical stance, and a heightened awareness of movements, sensations, and feelings. Sometimes characterized as "moving meditations", or as spiritual or healing practices, they claim to explore the connection to oneself, to others, and to the world at large.

This account is based on descriptions of danced interactions, as well as the ethnographer's experience of them, interviews with participants, and transcriptions of teachers' guiding discourse. In the absence of words, clear instructions or choreographies, how do participants use gazing, touching, breathing, sound-making and gestures to negotiate their danced interactions? How do they enter into a danced relationship, initiate duets, trios or quartets, judge the appropriateness of a touch, eye contact, or degrees of physical proximity? How do they end their partnerships in keeping with a caring attitude? How do they make sense of these special relationships, and how do they handle interactions once dancing is over?

These popular dance practices have received little anthropological attention, and are sometimes considered to be the rootless result of New Age tinkering or the "self-development" business. However, a pragmatic and sensory ethnography shows that they point to a specifically contemporary Western way of experiencing and defining oneself in relationship with others.