Dance as an Object of Scientific Investigation and Philosophy. Preliminary Remarks

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Published: Jan 11, 2020
DOI: https://doi.org/10.12681/eml.22108
Keywords:
Dance experience interdisciplinary research ancient Greek dance dance philosophy historical sources conceptual analysis
Anna Lazou
Abstract

The art of dance is now studied in the sciences and philosophy. From the time of the ancient Greek thinkers to the modern era, dance has never ceased to be considered a way of expressing multiple potentialities of culture. The way that man danced in history is also a reflection on every era of man's relationship with nature, the universe and social structures.

By selecting the most significant of all references to dance that the modern reader may encounter today, we locate the wealth and variety of information and approaches as well as the interdisciplinary nature of the studies provided. However, both the historical as well as the literary sources and the more recent ethnological and anthropological approaches do not cease to remain in an informational and encyclopedic field, without completing the theoretical explanation and understanding of the phenomenon unless and until specific philosophical questions are answered. These latter ones have to do with the identity of dance experience – based on data about the nature of learning, the relation of dance to language, science or sciences (history, philology, natural sciences), metaphysics and cosmology, the functionality and applicability of dance uses in society, religion and politics. Even the meaning of dance itself or the aesthetic principles as well as the moral and educational values of the ancient dance activity fall within traditional areas of philosophical contemplation or at least are not sufficiently systematized in the direction of methodical research unless they are subject to philosophical inquiry. 

We will focus on those facts which can show that orchesis/dance is treated by philosophy as an anthropological and at the same time cosmological concept referring to the relation of the human being to its inner psyche and to the environment. The "intelligence" of ancient Greek dance culture that has unfolded over many centuries, in various shapes and types of music poetry, but also with a rich social, educational and therapeutic functionality, is yet another discovery of the Greeks from their earliest history.

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