Verbalizing Dance

The research team consisted of Birgitta Sandström (scientific leader), Boel Englund, Lena Hammergren and Cecilia Roos. Roos' part in the research project took it’s starting point in four different working processes: “Miss Julie” choreographer Birgit Cullberg, “The Guest” choreographer Ina Christel Johannesson, “As it Empties Out” choreographer Jefta van Dinther and “Before I change my mind” choreographer Helena Franzen. Roos followed the rehearsals and studied more specifically the dialogue between the dancers and the choreographer and/or the rehearsal director and in what ways this dialogue informed each dancer's ability to work with and reflect on movement material, images, objects and music. Both the verbal and non-verbal dimensions such as touch and gaze were studied. The focus was on how the dancer translates their understanding of the material into developing methods, procedures and strategies for communicating with the material as well as with the choreographer and other collaborators.

The overall research questions were: How are knowledge, insights and skills related to movement and its expression communicated in dance education and performing arts contexts? What characterizes these modes of communication (for example, words, sounds, touch)? Are there common denominators in different communicative practices? What is the role of context, in terms of level of education, educational framework, educator background and experience, and dance genre? Roos worked on identifying and conceptualizing methods, pedagogical procedures and strategies between the professional dancer's practice and the choreographer. The aim of following four different processes was to include multiple perspectives.

The results of Roos' study show that in the artistic process a complex linguisticity emerges; both a verbal and a non-verbal language embodiment that is specific to each work process. These emerge in parallel and are often intertwined. However, the word cannot replace the movement or action, but it can function as a complement and describe an event, a process. The specific verbal languages that emerged in the processes Roos observed were clearly situation-bound, which means that they can only be transferred between processes in exceptional cases. This was evident, for example, in the naming of movements or actions, where the name came from an experience shared by everyone in the room at the time. This creates a collective memorization where each moment is associated with the specific event and those involved. There is also a kind of linguistic movement where the meaning of a word or a term is constantly under negotiation. A word may have a meaning in one part of the process, but through the actual doing of the movement or action, the meaning shifts. For example, the word or term may be diluted or appear too strong. The interesting thing is that this shift occurs through the actual doing.

Swedish Research Council

The project started 2014 and was finalized 2017

DiVA