Rethinking Dance Theory Through Semiotics

Henrique Rochelle

doi:10.5755/j01.sal.0.26.12426

Abstract

Advancements on dance theory have often been linked to its association with other fields of inquiry. As one of the main interests of dance theory is the discussion of dance as a language, fields that are related to the study of languages present vast options for research. In this paper, linguistics is discussed to offer an understanding of the idea of language that allows for its consideration in the dance phenomenon, which is then taken further with the systematic approach of semiotics to its structures of representation. Through Peirce’s studies of how signs work, present themselves and articulate, it is possible to organise the different forms of access audiences have to the contents transmitted by dance, which, as it is demonstrated here, greatly prefer non-symbolic constructions, thus making the approach to the interpretation through the comparison to verbal languages harder and many times less fruitful then expected. Advancing dance theory through semiotics is an enterprise very little diffused at this point, but it is also one that has offered many good provocations such as the characterisation of the dance sign as an index through its corporal construction, the analysis of the multiple forms of presentation of the fundament in the dance sign and the understanding of the multiple forms of the communication of dance as a language. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5755/j01.sal.0.26.12426

Highlights

Advancements on dance theory have often been linked to its association with Abstract other fields of inquiry
Linguistics is discussed to offer an understanding of the idea of language that allows for its consideration in the dance phenomenon, which is taken further with the systematic approach of semiotics to its structures of representation
The idea is to create a form of reflection that is informed by relevant literature just as much as it is informed by dance itself, even though, for sake of clarity, here there aren’t any examples dealing directly to specific choreographies or dance presentations. This is a form of answer to a long discussion on the particularities of doing academic research in art that considers appropriate to keep the focus of the research on dance, feeding from other fields of study only insofar as they might be helpful to the understanding of that object, and not trying to apply them directly – or to replicate them – to dance. Both the question and methodology of this paper have been presented: dance theory could benefit from a development linked to the understanding of dance as a language, and that understanding can come from a semiotics-based research

Summary

Henrique Rochelle

This is a form of answer to a long discussion on the particularities of doing academic research in art (see McNiff, 1998, Springgay, Irwin, Kind, 2005, and Seago, Dunne, 1999) that considers appropriate to keep the focus of the research on dance, feeding from other fields of study only insofar as they might be helpful to the understanding of that object, and not trying to apply them directly – or to replicate them – to dance At this point, both the question and methodology of this paper have been presented: dance theory could benefit from a development linked to the understanding of dance as a language, and that understanding can come from a semiotics-based research. Linguistics emerges as a relevant starter point to the study of this scheme that deals with how we are able to transform actual things into speech, and how this speech is organised so that the other person could go the reverse way and understand from the speech the actual things

Linguistics and Understanding of Dance as a Language

Features of Dance as a Language

Conclusions