Dance in between ritual and liturgy – an exploration of theory and practice in the field of Dance and Theology

Abstract

This article deals with recent writings on dance and theology by Riyako Cecilia Hikota and the authors of Heike Walz's Dance as Third Space (2022). It suggests, based on the writings of Vincent Lloyd, Sarah Coakley and recent discussions on theory and practice in the Nordic context, that the field of Dance and Theology needs a more rigorous understanding of practice. The article proposes a theoretical framework and Lloyd's distinctions between ritual and liturgy as a way to understand the gap between practice and norms, which is often missing in theological discussions. It then proceeds to exemplifying this by going into dialogue with Hikota’s criticism of the current use of the term “perichōrēsis” in theological discussions aiming at promoting dance.