Britannica
Sources used in this answer
Why did Meredith Monk, Trisha Brown, and Twyla Tharp perform dances in parks and streets?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
dance
Peasant Dance, oil on wood by Pieter Bruegel the Elder, c. 1568; in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, Vienna.
During the 1960s and 1970s, choreographers such as Meredith Monk, Trisha Brown, and Twyla Tharp performed in nontheatrical venues like parks, streets, museums, and galleries to challenge traditional perceptions of dance.1
Their motivations included:
- Dispelling Illusion: By moving away from the proscenium stage and specialized theatre settings, these artists sought to remove the glamour and artificiality associated with traditional performance.1
- Integrating Dance into Life: They aimed to present dance as a part of ordinary life, allowing it to "happen" among people rather than within a secluded, special context.1
- Focusing on Pure Movement: As part of the postmodern movement, these choreographers rejected the spectacle of traditional theatre. By using ordinary spaces and often wearing street clothes, they sought to strip away distractions and focus the audience's attention on the basic principles of movement—space, time, and the body's energy.2
- Accessibility: These performances were frequently held without publicity or admission charges, further breaking down the barriers between the dancer and the public.1