Deadline: 25 January, 2024
Structures are fascinating. We spot them everywhere and rely on them for our creations. We look up to mountains and are amazed by pyramids. The more solid a structure seems, the more reverence it gets. Structures represent stability, safety, and strength. Even water, the most fluid of elements, becomes more impressive when frozen (icebergs). Similarly, in dance, the more structured a sequence, the more it is admired, praised, and deemed worthy of attention.
With this edition, we wish to explore the subtle yet omnipresent relationship that ties dance to structures, be it physical, social, cultural, or political. We want to look at how dance is both informed by these structures and exerts its influence upon them. By looking at the entwined realms of dance and society, we aim to uncover the role of social norms, hierarchies, and values in shaping dance and how dance becomes an agent of change, challenging established paradigms and redefining societal constructs.
We also wish to explore the connection that links dance to power. Throughout history, dance has served as both a tool for reinforcing established power structures and a potent instrument of resistance and emancipation. We aim to illuminate the multifaceted role of dance in conveying ideologies and belief systems, shaping political narratives, challenging authority, and fostering collective empowerment.
In addition, we want to look at dance as a vehicle that transmits cultural values, knowledge, traditions, and spiritual wisdom across generations. We seek to decipher the language woven into dance forms, enabling them to carry the legacy of knowledge systems through time. But we remain inquisitive: Does dance always express meaning beyond itself?
Then, we widen our gaze to explore how dance, with its fluid grace, intertwines with spatial structures. From the embrace of natural landscapes to the sacred enclaves of archaeological sites and the grandeur of architecture, we investigate the connection between dance and spatial structures to uncover the interplay between movement and the spaces they inhabit.
Finally, we wish to shed light on dance structures in their choreographic and narrative forms and institutions. By looking at the inner workings of the dance performance, we seek to unveil the intricacies of its dynamics, traditions, and trends, and we interrogate the role and lived experiences of individual dancers within these structures.
To mark a new cycle of the magazine, the Structure issue invites writers and dancers to take a critical stance on the theme while maintaining the experiential tone of the magazine.
Note: The fact that the Structure and the Flow themes are published simultaneously does not suggest an opposition. They can be complementary and interconnected.
Submissions Material
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