HUM 195 Theorizing Dance and Language
Taught by Cynthia Hansen, anthropology, and Celeste Miller, emeritus theater, dance, and performance studies.
Course travel took place in Prague in March 2025 and London in May 2025.
In this course, we played the role of detectives, exploring cross-disciplinary collaboration between linguistics and choreography, fields that both study human expression. We delved into how these fields intersect and diverge, and how ideas flow between them in cross-disciplinary partnerships.
We started in Prague to focus on the Interwar years, where the Prague Linguistic Circle and the avant-garde artist group Devetsil each developed groundbreaking theories that shaped their respective disciplines. We investigated the potential influence these groups had on each other through archival research, museum exhibits, and artistic performances.
Our journey then took us to London, where we sought evidence of how ideas transcend boundaries and time, bridging the past, present, and future. Our exploration involved archival research and active participation in a community dance program alongside stroke survivor ambassadors. Through this experience, we learned from their expertise in reclaiming language use through choreographed physical expressions. Throughout the course, we used various investigative techniques, using both mind and body in establishing methods for studying human expression.
Read more about Professor Hansen and Miller’s course in the Grinnell Newsroom article Exploring the Intersection of Dance and Language.