Post-Choreography: Jérôme Bel’s Choreography and Movement in Malfunction

This book sheds light on the practice of French choreographer Jérôme Bel, who is active in the fields of performing arts and contemporary art.
Shuntaro Yoshida examines a case study of collective creation involving the choreographer and a group of amateur workshop participants. The focus is on Atelier Danse et Voix (Dance and Voice Workshop) (2014) and workshops held with local diverse participants in Brussels, Venice, and Munich after the cancellation of the Dance and Voice Workshop. This study elucidates Bel’s creative method by exploring the relationship between choreographer and participants in a situation where the typical framework of actors has been expanded. The focus of the case study is not so much the choreographic methodology itself, but the relationship between the method and the participants and the ways in which the choreographer cedes creative decision-making power to participants. In order to investigate Bel’s creative method, this study makes use of participant observation field notes taken during a rehearsal. Additional data sources include Bel’s emailed materials, performance programs, and interviews with participants.This book will be of great interest to students and scholars in theater, performance, and dance studies.

Shuntaro Yoshida is a dancer, choreographer, and researcher of contemporary dance and performance.