The Dancer and The Muse

Catalog description

It has by now become a cliché to assert––rightfully so––that aestheticians and philosophers have neglected dance by reducing the female dancer to a muse. In this course, rather than insisting on this fact, we will unpack the relation between the dancer and her proximity to the concept of a muse. We will read canonical and contemporary texts on the philosophy of dance, and watch dance performances and films, to reinterpret this provocative, elusive concept and follow the unconventional path it opens up for the criticism and interpretation of contemporary dance and cinema. Students who have not fulfilled the prerequisite may apply for permission to enroll by requesting an override in Courses@Brown.