Contemporary African Dance Theatre: Phenomenology, Whiteness, and the Gaze (New World Choreographies)

"This book is the first to consider contemporary African dance theatre aesthetics in the context of phenomenology, whiteness, and the gaze. Rather than a discussion of African dance per se, the author challenges hegemonic perceptions of contemporary African dance theatre to interrogate the extent to which white supremacy and privilege weave through capitalist necropolitics and determine our perception of contemporary African dance theatre today. Multiple aesthetic strategies are discussed throughout the book to account for the affective experience of 'un-suturing' that touches white spectatorship and colonial guilt at their core. The critical analysis covers a broad range of dance choreography by artists from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Canada, Europe, and the US as they travel, create, and show their works internationally to global audiences to contest racial divides and white supremacist politics."-- Provided by publisher Acknowledgements Contents List of Illustrations 1 This Is Not a Book About African Dance White Spectatorship, Race, and the Violence of the Gaze Material Phenomenology: Dance, Affect and the Alien References 2 Sources and Vocabularies of Contemporary African Dance Theatre Aesthetics Drums at the Museum: Alphonse Tiérou’s Alphabet of African Dance Rhythm, Philosophy and the Dance of Life: Zab Maboungou’s RYPADA Un-suturing Whiteness I: De/Liberate Gestures Dancing Inside the Frame and Outside the Box: Two Solos by Germaine Acogny Un-suturing Whiteness II: Somewhere at the Beginning and My Black Chosen One References 3 White Supremacy, Necropolitics and Anti-Capitalist Dance Faustin Linyekula and Studios Kabako (Democratic Republic of Congo) Un-suturing III: More, More, More ... Future! (2009) From Abidjan to Berlin: Franck Edmond Yao’s Logobi (Ivory Coast/Germany) Un-suturing Whiteness IV: Logobi #3 and Logobi #4 Gregory Maqoma and Vuyani Dance Theatre (South Africa) Un-suturing Whiteness V: Exit/Exist (2011/2012) References 4 Mistaken Identity: Deconstructing White Beauty and Gender Politics Interrogating Whiteness from Within: Robyn Orlin (South Africa) Un-suturing Whiteness VII: Beauty remained for just a moment then returned gently to her starting position ... Atlantic Crossings: Nora Chipaumire (Zimbabwe/US) Un-suturing Whiteness VI: Miriam and portrait of myself as my father Un-suturing Whiteness VIII: Alesandra Seutin’s Dance of Ambivalence The Un-suturing of Universal Whiteness: Beyond Identity Politics? References 5 Collaborative Blindness: Funding, Failure and the Ethics of Collaboration Susanne Linke and Company Jant-Bi’s Le Coq est mort (1999) Steptext Dance Project/Vuyani Dance Theatre’s Out of Joint (2017) Salia Sanou and Seydou Boro (Burkina Faso) Un-suturing Whiteness IX: Desire for Horizons References 6 This Is a Book About Whiteness and the Gaze References Bibliography Index "This book is the first to consider contemporary African dance theatre aesthetics in the context of phenomenology, whiteness, and the gaze. Rather than a discussion of African dance per se, the author challenges hegemonic perceptions of contemporary African dance theatre to interrogate the extent to which white supremacy and privilege weave through capitalist necropolitics and determine our perception of contemporary African dance theatre today. Multiple aesthetic strategies are discussed throughout the book to account for the affective experience of 'un-suturing' that touches white spectatorship and colonial guilt at their core. The critical analysis covers a broad range of dance choreography by artists from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Ivory Coast, South Africa, Canada, Europe, and the US as they travel, create, and show their works internationally to global audiences to contest racial divides and white supremacist politics."--ProQuest