practical, efficient, necessary

• Main Author: Sjöholm, Sigrid
• Format: Others
• Language: English
• Published: Stockholms konstnärliga högskola, Institutionen för dans 2021
• Subjects: martial arts; necessity; efficiency; practicality; urgency; relationality; dance; choreography; Humanities and the Arts; Humaniora och konst; Arts; Konst; Performing Arts; Scenkonst
• Online Access: http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:uniarts:diva-915

This essay is one part of my Bachelor's degree project, the other part being a dance performance with the title practical, efficient, necessary that was premiered in January of 2021. The essay discusses the main problem of the project (which was necessary movements and the lack thereof in dance) as for thoughts and methods that was used in the project in working with the theme of necessity. The essay begins by looking into movements of necessity from the perspective of a necessary movement being a practical movement that is in relation to survival and sprung out of urgency. It further explores necessary movements from the martial arts-perspective, and more specifically Muay Thai. The essay touches upon subjects such as the nervous system and the stress response as for preparatory movements as long term responses to urgency, while also looking into body-mind split theories. The essay also discusses protests as a method of self-defence, referring to artist and activist Rodney Diverlus analysis of the movements used in Black Lives Matter demonstrations. The main reference and conversation partner to many of the topics discussed in the essay is Pragmatist philosopher John Dewey and his thoughts in Art as Experience (1932) and Experience and Nature (1925). Further the essay describes the various methods used in the process of making the performance such as 'systematic choreographing' and 'temporary truths'. This allowed for further explorations of topics in the essay such as the starting and ending of movements, the power of repetition and sounds as necessity. The essay ends with reflections and refiguring of the concept of necessary movements.  === <p>This work includes both a performing and a written part.</p>