Introduction: Dance on Screen by Lila Moore

DanceOnScreen

Detailed description of the resource on Dance on Screen by Lila Moore

Dance on Screen: Introduction by Lila Moore

The PhD thesis entitled Dance on Screen took a decade to research and complete. However, a decade after it was written, the thesis is even more relevant now. The current application of theoretical and creative ideas mentioned in the thesis especially with relation to technology and new media will be discussed in future posts. When I started the research during the early 1990s there was scarcely any research published on this topic. There was also a serious debate on how to approach the research, including totally relevant resistance from dance experts, scholars and choreographers alike, who felt that such research could compromise dance in practice and theory. I eventually found a method with which to differentiate the various approaches to dance on screen, which are listed as specialised categories and explained in the thesis. I have also chosen to focus on a specialised approach to dance on screen which is, in essence, screen-based rather than dance-based. I argue that dance as a live form and theatrical presentation cease to exist in this type of practice, and therefore, it can be analysed and perceived differently.

Overall, the thesis suggests the development of a new hybrid art form throughout the 20^th century and which continues to evolve now. It is an exciting field to be involved in as an artist, and researcher, not only because of the technological and formal innovations, which unfold daily, but also because this art form reflects contemporary concerns. Screen-dance, or film-dance as it was originally termed by Maya Deren, currently mirrors and explores our physical and psychological relationship and interaction with technology, particularly screen-based technology. It explores our interrelations with global culture, ecology and the natural environment; the inner, imaginative and magical, philosophical and spiritual dimensions of existence, and hybridism in its variety of forms. 

This work by Dr Lila Moore is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.