Dance and politics

Abstract

The chapter offers an introduction to the central issues of research on dance and politics. In the first section it examines key thinkers who have contributed to ways of exploring the topic. Then it concentrates on two case studies related to Argentine contemporary dance. The first offers an analysis of the piece Dirección Obligatoria by Alejandro Cervera in the context of post-dictatorship in the 1980s. The second studies current practices of artistic activism through dance and performance by the group Escena Política based in Buenos Aires. Finally, it addresses the importance of pondering theoretical concepts through empirical research to understand the political agency of dance in specific socio-historical contexts. Dancing is a practice capable of enhancing political mobilization but also of impoverishing ideological debate. Hence, it is essential to theorize about its political effects and to highlight the complexity of its ties with society and culture.