Alexander Schwan
Alexander Schwan
E-Mail: schwan [at] schriftbildlichkeit.de
Ph.D. Project
"Room-Writing. Graphism in postmodern and contemporary Choreography: Trisha Brown, Jan Fabre, William Forsythe and Lin-Hwai Min."
Draft
The study deals with the phenomenon of graphism in postmodern and contemporary dance, the distinctive tendency to deliberately organize choreography as an ephemeral room-writing. How can the structural analogy of dance and writing, which differently characterizes all choreographies, become an object of reflection and visualization in dance itself? Which formal decisions are optional and essential for choreographies in order to discuss self-reflectively the graphic iconicity of their movements in the performance?
These questions are applied to prominent conceptions of graphistic dance, in the work of Trisha Brown, Jan Fabre, William Forsythe and Lin Hwai-Min. Methodically, new differentiations of the writing-discourse in literary criticism and cultural studies are transferred to the writing´s analogon, the dance. Thus, refinement and revision in the concept of writing in views of its materiality and iconicity will also adjust the reception of dance as an ephemeral inscription.
The thesis intends to develop poetics of dance as „écriture corporelle“, fanning out the optional interpretations of dance as process and product of writing. Taking the focus on its scriptural iconicity, as opaque as ornamental, dance will be read as ephemeral corporal-calligraphy and preposterous spatial graffiti.
Curriculum Vitae
Degrees
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2009 |
Ordained Presbyterian Reverend, Protestant Church in Rhineland |
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2004 |
Diploma in Theatre Directing, |
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1999/2007 |
First and Second Theological Exams, Protestant Church in Rhineland |
Employment/Education
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since 06/2009 |
Associate member of the DFG Research Training Group „Notational Iconicity“, Freie Universität Berlin |
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seit 2007 |
Reverend of the Protestant Church in Rhineland |
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2005-2007 |
Curate in Sophienkirche, Berlin, |
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seit 2005 |
Ph.D. Project „Room-Writing. Graphism in postmodern and contemporary Choreography“, |
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2000-2004 |
Studies of Theatre Directing, |
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2003 |
Masterclass Schauspiel, Salzburger Festspiele |
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1996-1997 |
Jewish Studies, Hebrew University Jerusalem |
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1993-2000 |
Studies of Protestant Theology and Philosophy |
Artistic Work
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2001-2003 |
Director |
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2003 |
Aischylos, „Gefesselter Prometheus“ |
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2002 |
Heiner Müller, „Quartett“ |
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2001 |
Heinrich von Kleist, „Penthesilea“ |
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1994-1998 |
Dancer/Performer |
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1998 |
„Elias“ |
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1995 |
„Gottesvergiftung“ |
Publications (selected)
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2009 |
„Expression, Ekstase, Spiritualität. Paul Tillichs Theologie der Kunst und Mary Wigmans Absoluter Tanz“, in: Tanz, Bewegung & Spiritualität, Jahrbuch Tanzforschung Bd. 19, hg. von Dagmar Ellen Fischer und Thom Hecht, Leipzig 2009, S. 214-226. |
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2007 |
„Kenosis in der Dokusoap. Das Geheimnis im Zeitalter der medialen Aufmerksamkeit“, in: Zeitschrift für Gottesdienst und Predigt, 1/2007, S. 19-21. |
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since 2005 |
Numerous publications in the fields of homiletics and spirituality Co-Author for “Predigtstudien im Christlich-Jüdischen Kontext“ |
