Marquette University
e-Publications@Marquette Philosophy Faculty Research and Publications
Philosophy, Department of
1-1-2003
Understanding "Dance Understanding" Curtis Carter Marquette University,
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Originally published in Nordic Journal of Aesthetics, Volume 27-28, No. 1 (2003). This version of the article is identical to the published version. The published version of the journal article is available here.
Nordisk Estetisk Tidskrift 27-8 (2003)
Understanding "Dance Understanding" Curtis Carter The history of dance offers us two opposing traditions with respect to the cognitive standing of dance with respect to its contribution to understanding. One view expressed by two characters in Lucian's Peri Orcheosis is not very complimentary. In Lucian's treatise, Crato ridicules his friend Lycinus for watching a "girlish fellow play the wanton with dainty clothing and bawdy songs". Another character, Demetrius the Cynic, dismisses dance as a mere adjunct to music and silk vestments consisting of meaningless, idle movements. 1 A less extreme, though equally damaging view, is implicit in Hegel's decision to omit dance from the canon of major art forms in his philosophy of art. The opposite tradition finds endorsement in Claude Fran
