Call For Papers

The field of dance studies emerged from an interdisciplinary web of theory and practice. Recently, discussions have focused on the ways in which dance scholarship and practices cross disciplinary borders: the special edition on interdisciplinarity of Dance Research Journal (Summer 2009), for instance, addressed this theme. The central issue this symposium will explore is how dance creates fluid and confronting intersections and interactions that (re)define and transform theoretical, methodological and performance frameworks.

The critical questions in focus are:

  1. How are boundaries crossed between dance studies and other academic disciplines, such as architecture, religion, politics, literature, anthropology, etc.?
  2. What are the possibilities and challenges for interdisciplinary performance, and for shared, collaborative artistic research?
  3. How is interdisciplinarity defined by geographical and cultural perspectives?
  4. What are the effects of interdisciplinarity on the structures of tertiary (university) dance education?

On 28-30 June 2010, the Dance Studies Programme of the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, will host a symposium entitled “Dancing Across the Disciplines: Cross-Currents of Dance Research and Performance throughout the Global Compass”. It seeks to discuss interdisciplinary perspectives on dance that strives to understand historical developments and anticipate the new directions of dance scholarship and performance.

Possible topics include:

Significant interdisciplinary artists from New Zealand/Aotearoa will be featured presenters. This three-day event will include panels, artist forums, film viewings, and roundtable discussions.

Proposals are invited for individual papers (max. 20 minutes), panels (of 3-5 speakers), and performative contributions. We welcome abstracts of no more than 300 words (or 500 words for panels). The deadline for abstract submissions is 15 January 2010.
A separate cover page should be prepared with the title of the paper, the type of presentation, technical requirements, and the name, affiliation and full contact information of the author.

Please send the abstract and cover page as a Microsoft Word document (.doc or .docx) to the organizers – Alexandra Kolb, Alison East & Ojeya Cruz Banks – with the subject heading ‘Dance Symposium’ (dancesymposium@otago.ac.nz). Please also indicate which of the four questions/themes listed above you wish to contribute towards.

We are aiming at an informal symposium which fosters inter-collegial exchange of perspectives. It is anticipated that selected papers from the conference will be published.