Document Type

Article

Publication Date

Fall 9-2019

Abstract

This paper examines American choreographer and dancer Daniel Nagrin’s choreographic methods as a study in Jewishness. It extends the notion that dancing Jewish not only resides explicitly through overtly Jewish themes, time and place, subject matter, and tropes (Brin Ingber 2011, Jackson 2011, and Rossen 2014), but also is posited subtly and discreetly within the methods, content/function, and structures and devices used to create and perform concert dances. The author's personal experiences with Nagrin, first as a graduate student and later as a researcher, coupled with admiration for his work are the inspiration and force behind this paper. From viewing video- tapes (Nagrin 1967, 1985) and tracing patterns (Adshead et al 1988, and Kane 2003), she asserts that Nagrin’s choreographic methods em- body characteristics of Jewishness that are implicit yet tangible. The analysis contributes new knowledge to the dialogue surrounding not only Jewishness in American dance, but also American modern dance in general.

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