Uneasy Duets: Contemporary American Dances about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Tuesday, April 14, 2015 at 4:30pm
Cross Street Dance Studio, 160 Cross Street

FREE!

Jewish choreographers have consistently created dances that embody, and sometimes critique, the shifting role of Zionism in American Jewish life. While dances from the early- and mid-twentieth century were overtly Zionist, contemporary works struggle to navigate an increasingly volatile political terrain. In recent years, the Middle East conflict has wrenched American Jews apart, inciting postmodern choreographers to create dances that convey ambivalence about Israel, present the body as a site of contestation, and position performance as a critical forum for dialogue and debate.

Dr. Rebecca Rossen '90 is a dance historian, choreographer, and Associate Professor in the Performance as Public Practice Program and the Department of Theatre and Dance at the University of Texas at Austin. She is the author of Dancing Jewish: Jewish Identity in American Modern and Postmodern Dance (Oxford University Press, 2014), and has also published articles in Feminist Studies, TDR: The Drama Review, and Theatre Journal.

The talk will be followed by a booksigning and reception from 5:30pm to 6pm.