A Superhuman Approach to Dance and the Defiance of Gravity

Over time, dance has evolved choreographically and aesthetically to best fit the audience's expectations. Through close examination of my topic, I discovered that there are quite a few choreographers who are challenging themselves and their dancers by incorporating architectural structures into their choreographic works. In 1970, Trisha Brown was one of the first choreographers to test these waters with her piece, Man Walking Down the Side of a Building. In this controversial piece, she demonstrates that bodies and architectural structures create new and exciting meanings and trigger surprise and imagination in the spectators (Loos). Her work served as a strong foundation for contemporary choreographers such as, Elizabeth Streb and Jacque Heim, who further developed Brown's explorations of gravity defiance and the use of architectural structures. In the world today, some creators still fear the use of interactive structures and choreography that defies gravity, as it may take away from the essence and primary motive of the dance. After extensive research, I argue that the incorporation of gravity defiance and architectural structures should be considered by choreographers since these will add complexity and significant layers to a dance.