1.3 Key concepts and terminology in performance studies
11 min read•august 13, 2024
Performance Studies explores how we shape our identities and social realities through actions and behaviors. It examines concepts like , , and to understand how we construct and express ourselves in various contexts.
This field looks at different types of performances, from everyday interactions to theatrical shows, and analyzes how they create meaning. It considers the roles of performers, audiences, and spaces in shaping our cultural experiences and challenging social norms.
Essential Concepts in Performance Studies
Performativity and Identity Construction
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- Performativity refers to the idea that identities, behaviors, and social realities are constructed and maintained through repeated performances or actions, rather than being inherent or fixed
- 's theory of gender performativity argues that gender is not a natural or essential attribute, but rather a set of stylized acts and gestures that individuals learn to perform in accordance with cultural norms (drag performances)
- The concept of performativity can be applied to other aspects of identity, such as race, class, or sexuality, highlighting how these categories are not fixed or biological, but rather produced through ongoing social performances and interactions (code-switching in different social contexts)
Embodiment and the Performing Body
- Embodiment in performance studies emphasizes the centrality of the body in creating meaning and experience, recognizing that the body is not merely a passive vessel but an active agent in shaping and expressing cultural norms, values, and identities
- The body is seen as a site of cultural inscription, where social scripts and power relations are literally incorporated and reproduced through bodily practices, such as posture, gesture, or vocal inflection (military drills, classical ballet training)
- Embodied performances can also serve as a means of resistance or subversion, as individuals use their bodies to challenge dominant norms or express alternative identities and experiences (voguing in LGBTQ+ ballroom culture, protest marches)
Liminality and Transformative Performances
- Liminality describes the state of being "in-between" or on the threshold of different social or cultural categories, often associated with moments of transition, ambiguity, or transformation in performance contexts
- Anthropologist Victor Turner's concept of the "liminal phase" in highlights how participants are temporarily removed from their ordinary social roles and identities, entering a state of uncertainty and potentiality before being reincorporated into a new status or position (initiation rites, pilgrimages)
- Liminal performances can create a space for experimentation, creativity, and social critique, as the usual rules and hierarchies are suspended or inverted, allowing for new possibilities and perspectives to emerge (Burning Man festival, immersive theater)
Restored Behavior and Cultural Scripts
- The concept of , coined by , suggests that all performances are based on pre-existing patterns or scripts that are learned, rehearsed, and re-enacted in different contexts
- Restored behaviors can range from codified artistic forms, such as classical music or ballet, to everyday social interactions, such as greetings or apologies, which are shaped by cultural conventions and expectations (Japanese tea ceremony, Western wedding rituals)
- The notion of restored behavior highlights the iterative and citational nature of performance, as individuals draw on a shared repertoire of cultural materials to create meaning and communicate with others, while also potentially altering or adapting these scripts in each new context (jazz improvisation, fan fiction)
Performance as Resistance and Subversion
- The notion of performance as a form of cultural resistance or subversion, as theorized by scholars such as Judith Butler and José Esteban Muñoz, highlights the potential of performance to challenge dominant norms and create spaces for marginalized identities and experiences
- Performances of resistance can take many forms, from overt political protests and social movements to more subtle acts of parody, satire, or appropriation that expose the constructed nature of dominant discourses and identities (guerrilla theater, drag performances)
- Muñoz's concept of "" describes how marginalized individuals can strategically engage with mainstream cultural texts and practices, neither fully assimilating nor wholly rejecting them, but rather transforming them to express alternative desires and subjectivities (queer readings of popular culture, Latinx performance art)
Types of Performances
Ritual Performances and Social Cohesion
- Ritual performances are often highly structured, repetitive, and symbolically charged events that serve to mark important transitions, reinforce social bonds, or communicate with spiritual forces, such as religious ceremonies, rites of passage, or political inaugurations
- Anthropologist Émile Durkheim's concept of "" highlights how ritual performances can create a sense of shared emotional intensity and social solidarity among participants, as they engage in synchronized actions and experience a heightened sense of interconnectedness (Hajj pilgrimage, Haka war dance)
- Ritual performances often involve the use of symbolic objects, gestures, or utterances that condense and communicate complex cultural meanings or values, such as the exchange of rings in a wedding ceremony or the burning of incense in a religious offering (Dia de los Muertos altars, Passover Seder)
Play Performances and Imaginative Possibilities
- encompass a wide range of activities characterized by their voluntary, improvisational, and creative nature, often existing outside of ordinary social rules and expectations, such as games, sports, or imaginative role-playing
- Johan Huizinga's concept of the "magic circle" describes how play creates a temporary, bounded space where participants can experiment with different identities, actions, and outcomes, without the consequences of everyday life (children's make-believe games, virtual reality experiences)
- Play performances can serve important social and cognitive functions, such as fostering creativity, problem-solving skills, and empathy, as well as providing a release from stress or social constraints (improvisational theater, escape rooms)
Everyday Life Performances and Social Scripts
- refer to the seemingly mundane, habitual, or unconscious behaviors and interactions that individuals engage in as part of their daily lives, such as greetings, gestures, or dress codes, which are nonetheless shaped by cultural scripts and expectations
- Sociologist 's dramaturgical approach to social interaction highlights how individuals perform different roles and manage impressions in various social settings, using techniques such as "front stage" and "back stage" behavior to navigate expectations and maintain face (job interviews, first dates)
- The concept of "performative utterances," developed by philosopher J.L. Austin, describes how certain speech acts, such as promises, apologies, or declarations, not only describe reality but also actively shape or change it through their very utterance (wedding vows, legal oaths)
Theatrical Performances and Artistic Expression
- are intentionally staged, rehearsed, and presented for an audience, often in designated spaces such as theaters or auditoriums, and may include various genres such as drama, musical theater, or experimental performance art
- The elements of theatrical performance, such as script, direction, acting, design, and spectatorship, work together to create a unified aesthetic experience and convey meanings or emotions to the audience (Broadway musicals, Shakespeare plays)
- and experimental theater practices, such as Brechtian epic theater or Artaudian Theater of Cruelty, often seek to challenge conventional forms and expectations of theatrical performance, blurring the boundaries between art and life, or provoking visceral and transformative experiences for the audience (Butoh dance, immersive theater)
Virtual and Mediated Performances
- Virtual or mediated performances are those that occur through digital technologies or media platforms, such as social media, video games, or online avatars, which may blur the boundaries between "real" and "virtual" identities and experiences
- The concept of "liveness" in performance studies has been complicated by the rise of digital media, as performances can now be recorded, edited, and circulated across time and space, creating new forms of presence and interaction between performers and audiences (live-streaming concerts, YouTube vlogs)
- can create new possibilities for creativity, experimentation, and social connection, as individuals can adopt multiple identities, collaborate with others across distances, and create immersive and interactive experiences (Second Life performances, Twitch gameplay)
Performance Elements and Meaning
The Performer's Presence and Expression
- The performer's physical presence, embodied actions, and emotional expressiveness can significantly influence the audience's interpretation and engagement with the performance, as well as their sense of connection or distance from the performer
- The concept of "stage presence" describes the performer's ability to command attention, convey charisma, and create a sense of magnetism or intensity through their bodily and vocal techniques, which can vary across different cultural and historical contexts (Method acting, Kabuki theater)
- The performer's use of facial expressions, gestures, and vocal inflections can convey subtle nuances of meaning and emotion, inviting the audience to read and respond to their performance in complex ways (silent film acting, sign language poetry)
The Performer's Identity and Social Context
- The performer's social identity, cultural background, and personal history may also shape the meaning and reception of the performance, as audiences may bring their own assumptions, expectations, or biases to their encounter with the performer
- Performances by marginalized or underrepresented groups, such as people of color, LGBTQ+ individuals, or people with disabilities, can challenge dominant cultural narratives and create spaces for alternative voices and perspectives to be heard and valued (Alvin Ailey's "Revelations," Ali Stroker's Tony Award-winning performance)
- The performer's own lived experiences, political commitments, and artistic vision can inform and enrich their performance, as they draw on personal struggles, triumphs, or insights to create meaningful and authentic expressions (Anna Deavere Smith's "Twilight: Los Angeles," Frida Kahlo's self-portraits)
The Audience's Role and Reception
- The audience's role is not merely passive or receptive, but rather active and co-creative, as their responses, reactions, and participation can alter the dynamics and outcomes of the performance in real-time
- The concept of "" describes the various ways in which spectators can directly engage with or influence the performance, such as through verbal responses, physical actions, or voting, which can create a sense of shared ownership and investment in the event (The Rocky Horror Picture Show, interactive theater)
- The audience's interpretation and evaluation of the performance can be shaped by various factors, such as their cultural background, personal taste, or prior knowledge, as well as by the social and institutional contexts in which the performance takes place, such as the reputation of the venue or the critical reception of the work (standing ovations, online reviews)
The Performance Space and Environment
- The physical and social characteristics of the performance space, such as its size, layout, acoustics, or cultural associations, can significantly shape the mood, atmosphere, and power relations between performers and audiences
- The concept of "" describes works that are created in response to or in dialogue with a particular location, often outside of traditional theater spaces, which can activate new meanings and experiences for both performers and audiences (Punchdrunk's "Sleep No More," Christo and Jeanne-Claude's installations)
- The use of lighting, sound, and other design elements can create immersive and sensory-rich environments that enhance the emotional and symbolic impact of the performance, as well as direct the audience's attention and guide their interpretation (Cirque du Soleil shows, haunted house attractions)
The Performer-Audience Relationship and Dynamics
- The relationship between performers and audiences is often mediated by cultural conventions, social hierarchies, and institutional structures that may prescribe certain roles, behaviors, or expectations for each party, which can be reinforced or challenged through the performance itself
- The concept of the "" in theater describes the imaginary barrier between the stage and the audience, which can be maintained to create a sense of realism and distance, or broken to acknowledge and engage with the audience directly (Brechtian "verfremdungseffekt," stand-up comedy)
- Power dynamics between performers and audiences can be negotiated and subverted through various techniques, such as audience participation, role reversal, or breaking character, which can create a sense of intimacy, vulnerability, or confrontation (Marina Abramović's "The Artist is Present," Boal's "Theatre of the Oppressed")
Applying Performance Studies Concepts
Performativity and Gender Identity
- Employing the concept of performativity to examine how gender roles and identities are constructed and maintained through everyday performances of masculinity and femininity, such as in the workplace, family, or media representations
- Analyzing how individuals learn to perform gender through imitation, repetition, and enforcement of cultural norms, such as through children's toys and games, beauty rituals, or dating scripts (Barbie dolls, rom-com tropes)
- Exploring how performances of gender can be subverted, parodied, or transformed through practices such as drag, androgyny, or gender-bending, which expose the constructed nature of gender and create space for alternative expressions (RuPaul's Drag Race, David Bowie's personas)
Embodiment and Physical Performance
- Using the lens of embodiment to analyze how the physical training, discipline, and virtuosity of dancers or athletes both reflects and challenges cultural norms around the body, health, and achievement
- Examining how different dance or movement styles, such as ballet, hip-hop, or yoga, embody and express cultural values, identities, and power relations, such as through their historical development, aesthetic principles, or social contexts (Alvin Ailey's "Revelations," capoeira)
- Considering how the body can be a site of resistance, protest, or transformation through practices such as bodybuilding, tattooing, or extreme sports, which push the limits of physical and mental endurance and create new forms of embodied subjectivity (Paralympians, Punk fashion)
Liminality and Rites of Passage
- Applying the notion of liminality to explore how ritual performances, such as weddings or funerals, create a transitional space for participants to navigate and transform their social identities and relationships
- Analyzing how rites of passage, such as graduations, initiations, or coming-of-age ceremonies, mark important transitions in the life cycle and reaffirm cultural values and hierarchies, while also creating opportunities for creativity and improvisation (quinceañera, bar/bat mitzvah)
- Examining how liminal spaces and experiences, such as festivals, carnivals, or protests, can create a sense of communitas and social leveling, as well as provide a platform for political and cultural critique (Mardi Gras, Burning Man)
Restored Behavior and Cultural Heritage
- Drawing on the idea of restored behavior to trace the historical and cultural influences that shape contemporary performances of race, ethnicity, or nationality, such as in folk festivals, heritage sites, or political rallies
- Analyzing how performances of cultural heritage, such as traditional music, dance, or storytelling, can serve to preserve and transmit cultural memory and identity across generations, while also adapting to changing social and political contexts (Día de los Muertos, Haka dance)
- Examining how performances of cultural appropriation or hybridity, such as in world music, fusion cuisine, or intercultural theater, can both enrich and problematize notions of cultural authenticity and ownership (Bhangra-rap, Tex-Mex food)
Performance as Resistance and Social Change
- Employing the framework of performance as resistance to examine how marginalized communities use performance practices, such as drag shows, graffiti art, or protest marches, to assert their visibility, agency, and creativity in the face of oppression or exclusion
- Analyzing how social movements, such as the Civil Rights Movement, Women's Liberation, or Black Lives Matter, use performance tactics, such as sit-ins, street theater, or die-ins, to raise awareness, build solidarity, and pressure for political change (The Guerrilla Girls, ACT UP)
- Examining how artistic and cultural performances, such as music, poetry, or visual art, can serve as forms of resistance and empowerment for marginalized communities, creating spaces for alternative narratives, identities, and visions of social justice (Chicano muralism, Riot Grrrl)
Key Terms to Review (26)
Audience participation: Audience participation refers to the active involvement of spectators in a performance, breaking the traditional barrier between performer and audience. This concept transforms the viewer’s role from passive observer to active contributor, allowing them to engage directly with the narrative, characters, or overall experience of the performance. This interactivity can enhance storytelling, impact emotional responses, and blur the boundaries of performance, making it a key element in various forms of artistic expression.
Avant-garde: Avant-garde refers to innovative and experimental approaches in the arts that challenge traditional norms and conventions. It plays a crucial role in reshaping the landscape of performance and expression, often reflecting societal changes and pushing boundaries of creativity, making it a key element in the historical evolution of performance studies and various artistic movements.
Blocking: Blocking refers to the precise staging of actors in a performance, including their movements, positions, and interactions on stage. It involves planning where performers should be during each moment of a scene to create visual clarity and enhance storytelling. Effective blocking contributes to the overall composition of a scene, influencing the audience's understanding and emotional response to the performance.
Choreography: Choreography refers to the art of designing and arranging movements and patterns of dance or movement in a performance. It encompasses the creative process of developing sequences that convey emotion, tell a story, or enhance the overall narrative of a performance piece. Choreography not only includes the physical movements but also considers elements like timing, spacing, and the relationship between performers and their environment.
Collective Effervescence: Collective effervescence refers to the intense energy and emotional excitement that emerges during collective activities or gatherings, creating a sense of unity and shared purpose among participants. This phenomenon is often observed in contexts such as religious ceremonies, festivals, or performances, where individuals experience a heightened sense of connection to one another, transcending their individual identities.
Disidentification: Disidentification is a performance strategy where individuals or groups reject, resist, or redefine the identities imposed upon them by dominant cultural narratives. It involves a process of distancing oneself from specific identity categories while also critiquing and challenging those categories through alternative forms of expression and representation. This concept highlights how performance can be a tool for negotiating and reshaping identity in ways that disrupt conventional understandings.
Documentary theatre: Documentary theatre is a form of performance that uses real-life events, interviews, and documents as the primary source material for its scripts, often blending the boundaries between journalism and theatre. This genre aims to represent factual stories through dramatic techniques, making social issues accessible and engaging for audiences. By utilizing verbatim texts and actual accounts, documentary theatre can create a powerful emotional resonance, prompting viewers to reflect on reality and societal concerns.
Durational Performance: Durational performance refers to a type of performance art that extends over an extended period, often challenging conventional notions of time and audience engagement. This form of performance emphasizes the experience of duration, inviting audiences to reflect on their perceptions of time, presence, and the act of witnessing art in real-time. It can transform both the performer’s and the audience's relationship to time, making them more aware of the passage of moments in a shared space.
Embodiment: Embodiment refers to the physical manifestation of identity, experience, and performance through the body. It emphasizes how our physical presence and movements contribute to understanding and interpreting both personal and cultural narratives, linking body, mind, and environment in expressive ways.
Erving Goffman: Erving Goffman was a Canadian sociologist and a key figure in the field of performance studies, particularly known for his work on the presentation of self in everyday life. His ideas emphasize the notion that social interactions are performed, suggesting that individuals manage their impressions in various social contexts, which connects deeply to concepts of identity, roles, and societal norms.
Everyday life performances: Everyday life performances refer to the various ways individuals present themselves and interact with others in daily contexts, embodying roles influenced by culture, social norms, and personal identity. These performances can be conscious or unconscious, highlighting how everyday actions can carry significant meaning and reflect deeper societal structures.
Fourth wall: The fourth wall is an imaginary barrier between the performers and the audience in a theatrical performance or any narrative medium. It allows the audience to suspend disbelief and engage with the story without feeling directly addressed or involved. This concept is essential in understanding how audiences perceive performances, as it shapes their experience and connection to the narrative.
Interactivity: Interactivity refers to the dynamic relationship between performers and audiences where both parties actively engage in the performance experience. This concept highlights how audience participation can shape and influence the performance, making it a collaborative event rather than a one-sided presentation. It also emphasizes the role of technology in facilitating these interactions, allowing for new forms of engagement that can redefine traditional performance settings.
Judith Butler: Judith Butler is a prominent philosopher and gender theorist known for her work on gender performativity, which suggests that gender is not an inherent trait but rather a series of repeated actions and performances that construct identity. This idea fundamentally shifts how we understand gender, linking it to cultural norms and social practices, and has implications across various areas including feminist theory, queer studies, and performance.
Liminality: Liminality refers to the transitional phase in a rite of passage or social ritual, where participants find themselves in a state of ambiguity and disorientation, existing between two defined states or stages. This concept is crucial in understanding how individuals experience transformation during rituals or events, often leading to a sense of communitas, or collective unity, among participants. Liminality can manifest in various contexts, especially during festivals and public celebrations, where the usual social structures are temporarily suspended, allowing for new identities and experiences to emerge.
Live art: Live art is a form of artistic expression that occurs in real-time and often emphasizes the presence of the body, interaction with the audience, and the ephemeral nature of the performance. This genre blurs the lines between traditional art forms and performance, creating a dynamic experience that engages viewers in a unique way. By challenging conventional boundaries, live art incorporates elements from theater, visual arts, and activism to provoke thought and evoke emotion.
Performativity: Performativity refers to the idea that language and actions can create or constitute reality rather than simply describe it. This concept is crucial in understanding how performances shape social constructs, identities, and interactions, connecting deeply with the historical roots of performance studies, essential terminology, and its interdisciplinary nature across various fields.
Phenomenology: Phenomenology is a philosophical approach that focuses on the subjective experience of individuals and how they perceive and interpret their reality. It emphasizes understanding the essence of experiences from the first-person perspective, which is crucial in performance studies for exploring how performers and audiences engage with performance moments. This approach reveals insights into the embodied nature of experience, making it relevant for analyzing the body in performance, writing about performances, and creating immersive experiences.
Play performances: Play performances are live presentations of scripted works, typically taking place in a theater, where actors portray characters and convey a narrative through dialogue and action. These performances create a shared experience between the performers and the audience, often engaging themes such as identity, culture, and social issues, which resonate within the larger field of performance studies.
Postdramatic theatre: Postdramatic theatre refers to a form of performance that transcends traditional narrative structures and focuses more on the aesthetic and experiential aspects of theatre, often emphasizing the physicality of performance and the use of multimedia elements. This style challenges conventional understandings of dramatic storytelling by prioritizing the visual, auditory, and sensory experience over a linear plot, allowing for a broader exploration of themes and ideas.
Restored Behavior: Restored behavior refers to the practice of recreating or reenacting past actions, performances, or traditions that are no longer in their original context. This concept emphasizes the idea of bringing back cultural expressions or performance styles that have been lost, altered, or forgotten over time, making it a significant aspect in understanding the historical development and key concepts of performance studies.
Richard Schechner: Richard Schechner is a prominent performance theorist and scholar known for his work in defining and expanding the field of performance studies. His theories emphasize the social, cultural, and ritualistic aspects of performance, encouraging a broader understanding of what constitutes performance beyond traditional theater.
Ritual Performances: Ritual performances are structured and often repeated actions that hold cultural, spiritual, or social significance within a community. These performances serve to reinforce shared beliefs, values, and traditions, and often mark important life events, transitions, or communal gatherings. They can vary widely across different cultures and contexts, reflecting the unique practices and meanings attributed to these actions.
Site-specific performance: Site-specific performance refers to theatrical works created and performed in a particular location that is integral to the meaning and experience of the piece. This type of performance often engages with the environment, history, and social context of the site, creating a unique interaction between the audience and the performance that can't be replicated elsewhere.
Theatrical performances: Theatrical performances are live presentations of stories, ideas, or emotions that are conveyed through a combination of acting, staging, and various elements such as costumes, lighting, and sound. These performances can take various forms, from traditional plays and musicals to modern experimental pieces, and often involve a collaborative effort among actors, directors, designers, and technicians to create a shared experience for the audience.
Virtual performances: Virtual performances refer to artistic presentations that occur in digital spaces, often using technology to create immersive experiences for the audience. These performances leverage platforms such as live streaming, video games, and social media, allowing artists to connect with audiences in real-time or through recorded content. They break traditional boundaries of space and time, making performance art more accessible and interactive.