Terpsichore in Sneakers: Post-Modern Dance

by Sally Banes

A dance critic's essays on post-modern dance.

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.

Genres: Art, Music

311 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

Reviews

[Ashleigh · Rating 4 out of 5]

Terpsichore offers wonderful insight into the dance world following the advent of modern dance and its exhaustive exploration. When Terpsichore was published (in the late 70s with an added introduction brieftly discussing dance in the 80s), it offered welcome review and insight into the previous two decades of innovative performance art. Since the advant of "avant garde" post modern dance has enjoyed many healthy years of existance since then, many of the innovations seem understandably out of date. However, the views of the choreographers and dancers expressed in each chapter remain extremely valuable when considering the ways in which dance (and art in general) have morphed in the last 25 years. As far as I know, this is the most comprehensive review of the invention of post modern dance.

I read this book almost immediately after reading Prime Movers by Joseph Mazo and found that I realted to Mazo's writing style more than Sally Barnes'. Mazo tends to make general observations and compare and contrast choreographers as he goes along, while Barnes spends significant time describing and analyzing specific pieces of choreography. Having finished the book, I am still unable to distinguish certain post modern choreographers from others, though perhaps that is an additional sign of the post modern culture.

[Sylvain · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reading this book made me want to dance (even more than I already did)! I love people who push the boundaries of art. As David Gordon says, "I thought that one of the things about making art was looking for trouble." Was made all the more sweet given that I got to see the performance of two works by Trisha Brown in New York City while I was reading this book.

[Mary · Rating 3 out of 5]

An excellent reference and introduction to the Judson choreographers and personalities. It really should get 4 stars, but it's a bit of a dry read. I should have bought it for my shelf instead of renting it from the library and pushing my way through it.

[Yue Corner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Grand Union set up a laboratory to examine improvisational phenomena and they saw backward through the microscope into each other's eyes.

[Susan Cushing · Rating 5 out of 5]

changed my life, but it you're reading this, you probably know that

[Dian Anggraini]

NIce