Date of Award

5-2024

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Fine Arts (MFA)

College/School

College of the Arts

Department/Program

Theatre and Dance

Thesis Sponsor/Dissertation Chair/Project Chair

Maxine Steinman

Committee Member

Apollinaire Scherr

Committee Member

Diann Sichel

Abstract

In my thesis performance Liminal Spaces: Moving Meditation with Bodies and Clay, I use dance, poetry, and kaolin clay to explore the phenomenological experience of existing in a state of liminality: a transitional space where the subjective inner and objective outer realities can coexist, and personal transformation can take place. With this thesis, I argue that dance and movement can act as a bridge to connect body, mind, and spirit. I propose that participating in movement practices, as well as witnessing others in their movement practices, has the power to help an individual to become more grounded in their identity, heal from emotional wounds, and ultimately transform into new iterations of themselves. Liminal Spaces was performed live on March 28, 2024, at 7 pm in the Arts and Culture Center, in my hometown of Marquette, Michigan. The dancers were Maggie Barch and Tara Middleton from TaMaMa Dance Company, and myself. As part of the performance, my mentor, Maria Formolo, acted as a meditation guide and recited an original poem composed especially for this project. The score, Plan & Elevation composed by Caroline Shaw, was played live by the Tuuli Quartet. In this document, I share my critical research on D.W. Winnicott’s theory of transitional phenomena, dance/movement therapy and Authentic Movement, kinesthetic empathy and embodied cognition, and the Japanese avant-garde performance art form known as butoh. I examine how these specific areas of study have enriched my thesis performance allowing me to create metaphorical depth and profound meaning for both performers and audience alike. Furthermore, I deconstruct my creative methodology while offering an analysis of the performance, and shedding light on the future implications of this study for my future creative endeavors.

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