Men, Masculinities and Sexualities in Dance

This book examines men, masculinities and sexualities in Western theatrical dance, offering insights into the processes, actions and interactions that occur in dance institutions around gender-transgressive acts, and the factors that set limits to transgression. This text uses interview and observation data to analyze the conditions that encourage some boys and young men to become involved in this widely unconventional activity, and the ways through which they negotiate the gendered and sexual attachments of their professional identity. Most importantly, the book analyzes the opportunities male dancers find to develop a reflexive habitus, engage in gender transgressive acts and experiment with their sexuality. At the same time, it approaches gender and sexuality as embodied, and therefore as parts of identity that are not as easily amendable. This book will be of interest to scholars in Gender and Sexuality Studies as well as Dance and Performance Studies.

Andria Christofidou is a sociologist of gender and sexuality. She teaches at the Department of Social and Political Sciences, University of Cyprus, and works as a post-doctoral researcher in the Developing Equality Allies: An Innovative Workplace Inclusion Programme. Andria's research has been published in the Journal of Gender Studies, and NORMA: International Journal for Masculinity Studies.

Auteur

Andria Christofidou is a sociologist of gender and sexuality. She teaches at the Department of Social and Political Sciences, University of Cyprus, and works as a post-doctoral researcher in the Developing Equality Allies: An Innovative Workplace Inclusion Programme. Andria's research has been published in the Journal of Gender Studies, and NORMA: International Journal for Masculinity Studies.

Contenu

1 Introduction

The Cultural Attachments of Western Theatrical Dance

Gender, Sex, Sexuality: Theoretical and Conceptual Tools

Matters of methodology

Outlining the book

References

2 Theoretical and conceptual elaborations

(Un)doing gender

Reflexivity and the habit of gender

Men and masculinities

Conclusion

References

3 The gendering of Western theatrical dance

The gendering of ballet

The gendering of modern dance

Dance today

References

4 Becoming Dancers

Discovering dance

The pains and pleasures of dancing

Conclusion

References

5 The Practice of Dance, Habitus, and Heightened Reflexivity

Reflexivity and habitus

Dancing bodies, reflexive actors

Reflexivity in ballet and contemporary dance

Conclusion

References

6 Behind the Curtains: Questioning sexuality, troubling gender

Dance is a very gay world

What does it mean to be a man?

Conclusion

References

7 Getting in Character: Just acting or gender embodied?

Performing onstage: masculinity, sexuality and the body

To be a leading man it requires a sense of masculinity

Conclusion

References

8 Male dancers negotiating the gendered and sexual attachments of dance Negotiating dancing identities

Dance is butch, but not that manly

Conclusion

References

9 The grand finale

The tensions of dance

Men and masculinities in dance and beyond

Limitations and Areas for Future research

Concluding Remarks

References

Index