Doctoral defence: Anne-Liis Maripuu "The Role of Modern Dance in Shaping Artistic and Gender Discourses in Estonia in the 1920s"
On 14 October at 13:00, Anne-Liis Maripuu will defend her thesis "The Role of Modern Dance in Shaping Artistic and Gender Discourses in Estonia in the 1920s".
Supervisors: Anneli Saro (University of Tartu), Heili Einasto (University of Tallinn)
Opponent: Hanna Järvinen (Helsinki University of Arts)
Venue: University's senate hall (Ülikooli 18-204)
Summary: In my doctoral thesis, I explore the arrival of modern dance in Estonia and its impact on gender and artistic discourse. Modern dance, a theatre dance genre, first appeared in Estonia in the second decade of the 20th century. Unlike ballet, which was dominated by male choreographers, the leading figures, modern dance was led predominantly by women. This new art form not only created employment opportunities for women, but also offered them the opportunity to live independently and to step into the role of choreographers. As ballet’s conventions were set aside, new stories emerged, featuring female characters who expressed themselves through “free” movement. The rise of modern dance thus marked the end of ballet’s dominance on theatre dance.
I use the term “modern dance” as an umbrella term, encompassing a variety of dance trends distinguished by movement language and technique. The most significant during the period I examine were plastic dance and Ausdruckstanz (in English, dance of expression).
The research spans from the mid-1910s to the late 1930s, with particular emphasis on the 1920s, when modern dance gained widespread popularity and increasing recognition as a serious art form in Estonia. This dissertation focuses on two little-studied dancers and choreographers, Elmerice Parts (1878–1974) and Gerd Neggo (1891–1974), who were primarily active as solo dancers in the 1920s. I also address the contribution of Herman Kolt, with whom Parts performed in 1926 and 1927.
The thesis consists of an introductory chapter and four research articles. In these articles, I analyse discourses related to modern dance through various concepts and theories. Drawing on Edward Said’s concept of traveling theories, and its further development by Dongchao Min, I investigate how dance-specific knowledge was transformed in a new cultural context. Using the concept of transgression, I examine the art discourse of the time and explore where the boundaries between art and non-art lay. Jacques Rancière’s idea of the regime of the arts illuminates the transformative potential of modern dance. Finally, based on Judith Butler’s concept of gender performativity, I analyse how Parts and Neggo shaped the gender discourse of their era.
Supervisors: Anneli Saro (University of Tartu), Heili Einasto (University of Tallinn)
Opponent: Hanna Järvinen (Helsinki University of Arts)
Venue: University's senate hall (Ülikooli 18-204)
Summary: In my doctoral thesis, I explore the arrival of modern dance in Estonia and its impact on gender and artistic discourse. Modern dance, a theatre dance genre, first appeared in Estonia in the second decade of the 20th century. Unlike ballet, which was dominated by male choreographers, the leading figures, modern dance was led predominantly by women. This new art form not only created employment opportunities for women, but also offered them the opportunity to live independently and to step into the role of choreographers. As ballet’s conventions were set aside, new stories emerged, featuring female characters who expressed themselves through “free” movement. The rise of modern dance thus marked the end of ballet’s dominance on theatre dance.
I use the term “modern dance” as an umbrella term, encompassing a variety of dance trends distinguished by movement language and technique. The most significant during the period I examine were plastic dance and Ausdruckstanz (in English, dance of expression).
The research spans from the mid-1910s to the late 1930s, with particular emphasis on the 1920s, when modern dance gained widespread popularity and increasing recognition as a serious art form in Estonia. This dissertation focuses on two little-studied dancers and choreographers, Elmerice Parts (1878–1974) and Gerd Neggo (1891–1974), who were primarily active as solo dancers in the 1920s. I also address the contribution of Herman Kolt, with whom Parts performed in 1926 and 1927.
The thesis consists of an introductory chapter and four research articles. In these articles, I analyse discourses related to modern dance through various concepts and theories. Drawing on Edward Said’s concept of traveling theories, and its further development by Dongchao Min, I investigate how dance-specific knowledge was transformed in a new cultural context. Using the concept of transgression, I examine the art discourse of the time and explore where the boundaries between art and non-art lay. Jacques Rancière’s idea of the regime of the arts illuminates the transformative potential of modern dance. Finally, based on Judith Butler’s concept of gender performativity, I analyse how Parts and Neggo shaped the gender discourse of their era.
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