In this Book
- Terpsichore in Sneakers: Post-Modern Dance
- Book
- 2011
- Published by: Wesleyan University Press
summary
Drawing on the postmodern perspective and concerns that informed her groundbreaking Terpischore in Sneakers, Sally Bane’s Writing Dancing documents the background and development of avant-garde and popular dance, analyzing individual artists, performances, and entire dance movements. With a sure grasp of shifting cultural dynamics, Banes shows how postmodern dance is integrally connected to other oppositional, often marginalized strands of dance culture, and considers how certain kinds of dance move from the margins to the mainstream.
Banes begins by considering the act of dance criticism itself, exploring its modes, methods, and underlying assumptions and examining the work of other critics. She traces the development of contemporary dance from the early work of such influential figures as Merce Cunningham and George Balanchine to such contemporary choreographers as Molissa Fenley, Karole Armitage, and Michael Clark. She analyzes the contributions of the Judson Dance Theatre and the Workers’ Dance League, the emergence of Latin postmodern dance in New York, and the impact of black jazz in Russia. In addition, Banes explores such untraditional performance modes as breakdancing and the “drunk dancing” of Fred Astaire.
Ebook Edition Note: All images have been redacted.
Banes begins by considering the act of dance criticism itself, exploring its modes, methods, and underlying assumptions and examining the work of other critics. She traces the development of contemporary dance from the early work of such influential figures as Merce Cunningham and George Balanchine to such contemporary choreographers as Molissa Fenley, Karole Armitage, and Michael Clark. She analyzes the contributions of the Judson Dance Theatre and the Workers’ Dance League, the emergence of Latin postmodern dance in New York, and the impact of black jazz in Russia. In addition, Banes explores such untraditional performance modes as breakdancing and the “drunk dancing” of Fred Astaire.
Ebook Edition Note: All images have been redacted.
Table of Contents

- Acknowledgments
- p. x
- Simone Forti: Dancing as if Newborn
- pp. 21-37
- Simone Forti, Animal Stories
- pp. 38-40
- Steve Paxton: Physical Things
- pp. 57-70
- Steve Paxton, Satisfyin Lover
- pp. 71-76
- Trisha Brown: Gravity and Levity
- pp. 77-91
- Trisha Brown, Skymap
- pp. 92-96
- David Gordon: The Ambiguities
- pp. 97-108
- David Gordon, Response
- pp. 109-112
- Deborah Hay: The Cosmic Dance
- pp. 113-127
- Deborah Hay, Excerpts from The Grand Dance
- pp. 128-132
- Lucinda Childs: The Act of Seeing
- pp. 133-145
- Lucinda Childs, Street Dance
- pp. 146-148
- Meredith Monk: Homemade Metaphors
- pp. 149-165
- Meredith Monk, Notes on the Voice
- pp. 166-168
- Kenneth King: Being Dancing Beings
- pp. 169-183
- Kenneth King, from Print-Out
- pp. 184-186
- Douglas Dunn: Cool Symmetries
- pp. 187-199
- Douglas Dunn, "Talking Dancing"
- pp. 200-202
- The Grand Union, Q & A
- pp. 219-236
- Chronology
- pp. 237-244
- Selected Bibliography
- pp. 245-253
Additional Information
ISBN
9780819571809
Related ISBN(s)
9780819561602
MARC Record
OCLC
48139465
Pages
311
Launched on MUSE
2012-08-07
Language
English
Open Access
No