Glossary

Unique Terms Coined by Thomas Talawa Prestø

 

GLOSSARY OF UNIQUE AND CONTEXTUAL TERMS

Unique Terms Coined by Thomas Talawa Prestø

Cognoscape

• Definition: A term coined by Thomas Talawa Prestø, derived from the Latin word “cognoscere,” meaning “to know,” and “scape,” from “landscape.” It refers to a unique form of artistic reflective documentation that immerses the reader into the knowledge or thought landscape of the writer.

 

• Context: The Cognoscape is an innovative documentation style that eschews traditional formats, offering flexibility ranging from poetic to academic styles. Its primary objective is to shape the mental landscape of the reader, much like landscaping. By planting seeds of ideas, constructing mountains of thought, and irrigating valleys of the mind, the Cognoscape aims to deeply influence the reader’s understanding and perception. This approach allows for a dynamic and immersive experience, guiding the reader through the intellectual terrain crafted by the writer.

Arriving on Action

• Definition: A concept describing the futuristic artistic practice where a dancer and drummer in Africana dance synchronize their intentions, creating a convergence of movement and sound. The dancer anticipates the drummer’s future rhythm, and the drummer anticipates the dancer’s future movements, achieving simultaneous artistic expression.

 

• Context: In Africana dance, “arriving on action” is a sophisticated and risky practice where the dancer and drummer do not merely follow each other’s current actions. Instead, the dancer dances the intention of the drummer’s forthcoming rhythm, and the drummer plays the intention of the dancer’s forthcoming movements. This synchronization requires both to “arrive on action” together, creating moments where movement and sound appear to unfold as one. Achieving this seamless convergence is considered a form of aesthetic virtuosity and embodies the essence of Ubuntu, showcasing the poetic power of unity and shared intention in artistic expression.

 

Africana Dance (Established term, Prestøs definition and usage)

• Definition: A dance form intrinsically rooted in African philosophy, history, and aesthetics, reserved for practitioners whose movement practice is firmly grounded in Africana philosophy. It signifies a deep reclamation, affirmation, and celebration of ancestral heritage through movement, embodying agency and a cultural worldview. Until this foundation is established, the practice remains Africanist Dance, which denotes influences and traces rather than the depth of cultural agency inherent in Africana Dance.

 

• Context:Africana Dance is rooted in the study of the history, cultures, and social issues of people of African descent, both within Africa and across the diaspora. It encompasses the interdisciplinary insights of Africana studies, addressing themes like race, colonization, diaspora, and globalization. The term “Africana” captures the cultural, historical, and social dimensions of African and African-descendant experiences, emphasizing the vital role of dance in preserving and expressing these rich heritages

 

AfriAncestral Dance Praxis (Prestø)

• Definition: Dance practices which are the accumulated result of multigenerational investments into the practices of entire communities, coordinated and spearheaded by erudite master practitioners and stored in the collective living archive of both the living and dead members of that community.

• Context: AfriAncestral Dance Praxis emphasizes the importance of historical continuity and communal contributions in the development of dance traditions within African contexts. It recognizes the role of master practitioners in preserving and transmitting these practices, which are enriched by the collective experiences and memories of the community, including both ancestors and present members. This practice underscores the significant connection between the living and the dead, seeing dance as a conduit for ancestral wisdom and cultural heritage.

 

Africana Filial Logic (Prestø)

• Definition: The concept emphasizing the transmission of values, traditions, and cultural knowledge through family and community structures within Africana cultures. It is different than the EuroWestern “Rupture logic” which is used to describe the lineage of Ballet-modern-post modern-contemporary timeline where each “movement” ruptures from the last.
• Context: Highlights the importance of familial and communal bonds in maintaining and perpetuating Africana cultural practices and philosophies.

 

ChoreoNommo (Prestø)

• Definition: A choreographic practice rooted in the concept of Nommo, referring to the power of the word to affect direct change in the world, both physically and metaphysically.
• Context: Emphasizes the performativity of words, gestures, rhythm, and movement, and the ability to imbibe knowledge using language.

 

 

 

 

ChoreoWanga (Prestø)

• Definition: The infusion of spiritual and ritualistic elements into choreography, emphasizing the power of dance as a form of spiritual and cultural invocation.
• Context: Recognizes dance as a potent medium for connecting with ancestral spirits and cultural memory.

 

PerformancePwen (Prestø)

• Definition: The conscious and deliberate act of opening and accessing specific performative states or spiritual realms during a performance.
• Context: Highlights the intentional and ritualistic aspects of performance in Africana art, focusing on the spiritual and energetic dimensions.

 

Committography (Prestø)

• Definition: The commitment to documenting and preserving the methodologies, practices, and philosophies inherent in Africana art forms.
• Context: Ensures that the rich traditions and innovative practices within Africana art are systematically recorded and transmitted to future generations.

 

Corpoinfatuated Dance Practices (Prestø)

• The concept of corpoinfatuated dance practices refers to any dance form or movement practice that centers around an immersive and comprehensive engagement with the body. Such practices are characterized by their celebration of the body’s kinetic intelligence, flexibility, and ability to express nuanced stories and cultural traditions. These practices not only utilize the body as a tool for artistic expression but also revel in its inherent beauty and capabilities. It also denotes dance practices which do not harm the body.

Rhythmokinetophile (Prestø)

• Definition: A term derived from the Greek words “rhythmos” (rhythm), “kinesis” (movement), and “philos” (lover). It describes an individual who is passionately enthusiastic about dance movements that are both rhythmical and dynamic.

• Context: A rhythmokinetophile finds joy and fulfillment in engaging with dance styles that emphasize the integration of rhythmic patterns and physical movement, appreciating the seamless blend of musicality and motion.

 

Ethnorhythmokinetic Choreography (Prestø)

• Definition: Choreographic practices that incorporate and emphasize the rhythmic and kinetic elements inherent in cultural traditions.
• Context: Focuses on the integration of rhythmic structures and movements unique to specific ethnic or cultural dance forms.

• Poly-ethnorhythmokinetic Choreographic Approach: A technique blending the rhythmic patterns and movement styles of multiple ethnic groups to create innovative and culturally diverse dance compositions.

 

Aesthetic Artistic Atavism (Prestø)

• Definition: The re-emergence of artistic and aesthetic practices once prevalent but had become overshadowed or dormant due to socio-cultural shifts.
• Context: Examples include the resurgence of polyrhythmic patterns in contemporary music genres like hip hop, reflecting ancestral connections.

 

Ethnotectonic Artistic Research (Prestø)

• Definition: Artistic research based on the study of deep ethnic culture and how these cultural expressions are formed, changed, and moved by internal forces.
• Context: Emphasizes the cultural, historical, and cosmological factors shaping artistic practices within a specific cultural context.

 

Afritectonic Artistic Research (Prestø)

• Definition: A specialized branch of artistic research delving into the influences of Africana cultures and communities on art, emphasizing cultural preservation, sociopolitical contextualization, and artistic innovation.
• Context: Investigates the complex matrix of influences that shape Africana art forms and their sociocultural contexts.
• Subcategories:
  • Historico-cultural Semiotics: Africontinued expressions resonate with ancestral elements, while Afri-retentive forms blend ancestral rhythms and diasporic melodies.
  • Corporeal Epistemologies: Africontinued practices embody the African landscape, while Afri-retentive forms display a fusion of ancestral corporeal wisdom with diasporic innovations.
  • Artistic Syntax: Africontinued practices valorize preservation, while Afri-retentive practices assimilate new influences, creating a dynamic artistic lexicon.

 

Endogenic Artistic Research (Prestø)

• Definition: An insider perspective on art production, where the researcher is an erudite practitioner and an insider of the praxis and practice being studied.
• Context: Acknowledges the importance of personal connection, cultural background, and embodied experience in artistic research.

 

Exogenic Artistic Research (Prestø)

• Definition: A perspective in which the researcher is not an erudite initiate of the practices under study, examining art production from an external viewpoint.
• Context: Involves critical engagement with the subject matter from an external standpoint, with awareness of potential colonial or Eurocentric biases.

 

The Poly-Diasporic Matrix (Prestø)

• Definition: A comprehensive research framework that traces the African communities integrated into the Caribbean diaspora, exploring the dynamic interplay of diverse cosmologies and cultural elements in shaping art and perspectives.
• Context: Highlights the active role of these interwoven influences in the evolution of Caribbean and African Diaspora art and worldview.

 

Cognosomatics (Prestø)

• Definition: Cognosomatics expands the spectrum of embodied experience to include a bidirectional interchange between interior somatic experiences and external actions and interactions. This term serves as a conceptual bridge between phenomenology and sociology, connecting the deeply personal with the undeniably communal. It highlights the symbiosis of experience and identity, asserting that one cannot be understood or realized without the other.

 

• Context: Cognosomatics emphasizes the cyclic, ever-renewing nature of the relationship between actions and identity. Each action is both an expression of identity and a catalyst for future experiences, perpetuating a continuously evolving cycle that forms and reforms identity based on new experiences and perceptions.

 

Subcategories:

1. AfriCognoSomatics:

Definition: An approach integrating cognition with somatic experiences in an African context, articulating how the body becomes a repository of collective memory, lived experience, and cultural wisdom.

Context: Highlights the importance of embodied knowledge in Africana dance and artistic practices.

1. • AfriCognoSomatic Dance Praxis: Incorporates elements of African heritage, history, and philosophy, focusing on the interaction between bodily movements and cognitive processes.

1. AfriDiasporaCognosomatics:

• Definition: In a diasporic setting, Cognosomatics becomes a confluence of identities where the body is a living canvas upon which multiple heritages and histories are drawn.

 

• Context: The Africana body is an active negotiator of multiple identities, continuously navigating cultural understanding and misunderstanding, acceptance and exclusion. This approach integrates the historical and collective memory dimensions of AfriCognoSomatics within a diasporic context, adding complexity to the Cognosomatic cycle.

1. • AfriDiasporaCognoSomatic Dance Praxis: Focuses on the Africana diasporic experience, integrating multiple cultural narratives and lived experiences through cognitive and bodily interaction.
   • AfricanaCognoSomatic Dance Praxis: Combines AfriCognoSomatic and AfriDiasporaCognoSomatic elements, exploring the bidirectional relationship between mind and body within the broad Africana experience.

 

1. Bidirectional Cycle of Experience and Identity:

• Definition: The unique aspect of Cognosomatics that focuses on the cyclic, ever-renewing nature of the relationship between actions and identity. Each action taken is both an expression of identity and a catalyst for future experiences.
• Context: This dynamic reciprocity perpetuates a cycle that continuously evolves, forming and reforming identity based on new experiences and perceptions. Individuals engage in a constant interchange with the world—taking cues, giving signals, embodying memories, and anticipating futures.

Africontinued (Prestø)

• Definition: Cultural practices that have endured in the African diaspora while maintaining their origins on the African continent.
• Context: Reflects the preservation of traditional practices, ensuring a tangible link to ancestral history.

Afri-retentive Practices (Prestø)

• Definition: Cultural practices that emerge from the diaspora experience, grounded in aesthetics, philosophies, and practices inherited from the African continent but evolved due to the specific circumstances of the diaspora.
• Context: Embodies ancestral retentions and adaptations addressing new realities faced by diasporic communities.
• Subcategories:
  • Diasporic Artistic Displacement: Practices or dances that claim to be the same as the original but are altered due to a change of context.
  • Diasporic Artistic Repurposing: The intentional reshaping of cultural practices to better reflect the situation and experiences of diaspora communities.

Circling the Median (Prestø)

• Definition: An Africana aesthetic concept where beauty is not located directly within the median or normative center but in the dynamic space surrounding it.
• Context: Exemplified in artistic practices that explore, interpret, and sometimes deviate from a central theme, such as Aretha Franklin’s vocal stylings and African drumming.

Apex Aesthetic (Prestø)

• Definition: The highest quality or level of aesthetic expression, embodying the canons, philosophies, signifiers, skills, discipline, storytelling, and world-making technologies of a specific form.

• Context: Includes both High and Deep Aesthetic forms, characterized by a deep understanding and connection to the form and a high level of technical proficiency.

 

 

 

Fenque Aesthetic (Prestø)

• Definition: Superficial or rudimentary aesthetics used to reference a certain cultural practice without accurately representing or embodying the form.
• Context: Includes commercialized or popularized versions of traditional forms that have been simplified or altered for wider appeal, often lacking a deep understanding or connection to the form.

 

Vulgar Aesthetic (Prestø)

• Definition: Practices that utilize the essence of a cultural form without exhibiting the necessary skill, knowledge, or depth to adequately represent the form.
• Context: Includes commercialized or simplified versions of traditional forms, often lacking authenticity and depth.

Breaking the Visceral Wall (Prestø)

• Definition: A profound interaction between performance and spectator in Africana art practice, where the art actively penetrates and resonates within the body of the observer.
• Context: Engages the audience in a deeply sensory and emotive experience through techniques like “arriving on action” and the tactility of rhythm.

 

Cultural Arrogation (Prestø)

• Although the term has come up in discussion about Cultural Appropriation it has not been defined directly This is Prestøs definition arrived upon idependently:
  • Definition: The act of taking, copying, or misrepresenting a cultural element or artifact without justification, often to such a degree that it would not be acknowledged by the originating culture.
  • Context: Distinguishes from cultural appropriation by emphasizing the lack of skill and justification in the misrepresentation.

 

 

 

 

 

Decolonialization (Prestø’s Definition)

• Definition: Correcting and addressing the fabrication of historical, social, economic, and academic “knowledge” and teachings. Teachings which are designed to glorify or normalize oppression, abuse, and monopolize knowledge in a way which awards power of definition and resources in favor of Euro-descendants.
• Context: Emphasizes the importance of restoring cultural autonomy and authenticity in artistic and spiritual practices.

Ken-Spirit (Prestø)

• Definition: Individuals who “know” of spirit but may not be deeply initiated into formal spiritual practices.
• Context: Highlights a semi-secular belief in spiritual elements, recognizing the existence of spirit without deep commitment.

 

Kin-Spirit (Prestø)

• Definition: Individuals who are kin to spirit or married to spirit, meaning they are deeply initiated and committed to spiritual practices.
• Context: Emphasizes a profound level of spiritual engagement and initiation within dance and other cultural practices.

 

PolySpirit Praxis (Prestø)

• Definition: An umbrella term for when a body is ensouled with more than one spirit, such as when a dancer is being ridden by an Orisha or Lwa, or when we channel our ancestors or even each other.
• Context: Central in both secular and sacred Africana and Caribbean forms, emphasizing the highly spirited body that moves powerfully in praise, dance, contemplation, or community service.

 

PolyConductive Rhythmic Praxis (Prestø)

• Definition: A practice where multiple rhythmic patterns are conducted and integrated into a cohesive performance, emphasizing the complexity and interplay of rhythms.

• Context: Highlights the importance of understanding and managing multiple rhythmic layers in Africana dance and music.

 

PolyConductive Body (Prestø)

• Definition: A body driven by more than one spirit, with the original inhabitant still present and in control, allowing the body to dance the urgencies of many or channel the community or musical ensemble.

• Context: Central in both secular and sacred Africana and Caribbean forms, emphasizing the highly spirited body that moves powerfully in praise, dance, contemplation, or community service.

Polyorganisatory Space (Prestø)

• Definition: The dynamic organization of space where activities and cultural practices define and consecrate the space, rather than the physical or institutional attributes of the space itself.
• Context: Examples include turning Nottinghill into a carnival space or a parking lot into a Dancehall, reflecting a radical practice born out of the African diaspora.

Prismonic (Prestø)

• Definition: Encompassing multiple facets, perspectives, or dimensions, akin to light refracting through a prism.
• Context: Used to describe artistic practices, cultural phenomena, or research methodologies that consider a wide range of influences and viewpoints.

 

Rhythm Nation (Prestø)

• Definition: A cultural group identified by its distinctive rhythmic patterns and practices, often serving as a marker of identity and a carrier of cultural heritage.
• Context: Reflects the centrality of rhythm in defining and preserving cultural identity within Africana communities.

 

Translocal Rhythm Continuum (Prestø)

• Definition: The seamless integration and flow of rhythms across geographical and cultural boundaries, connecting African, Caribbean, and circum-Caribbean communities.
• Context: Emphasizes the continuous exchange and mutual inspiration between these regions through shared rhythmic practices.

 

 

Multimodal Rhythmic Modulation (Prestø)

• Definition: A technique that involves performers actively manipulating our perception of rhythm by integrating and modulating visual (optic), auditory (sonic), physical (tactile) rhythms, as well as our sense of tempo and distance, to create a multisensory aesthetic experience.

• Context:Central to the revitalization process in performance, multimodal rhythmic modulation entails the deliberate calibration of musical rhythms to craft a multisensory aesthetic experience. Performers manipulate our various experiences of rhythm, including our sense of time, tempo, distance, tactile rhythm, optic rhythm, and sonic rhythm. This synesthetic approach shifts our perception of music and movement, intertwining the sounds we hear with the movements we witness and execute, thereby transforming how rhythm is perceived and experienced.

 

Rhythmomodular Synaesthesia (Prestø)

• Definition: A phenomenon where corpokinetic (bodily movement), optic (visual), sonic (auditory), tactile (tactile and kinesthetic), and ethero (imagined or remembered) rhythms converge and combine, blurring their boundaries and allowing one aspect of rhythm to be experienced as a manifestation of another.
• Context: This embodied and immersive experience emerges through the erudite execution of polyrhythmic playing and polycentric dancing, resulting in a synesthetic perception of rhythm.

Revitalising the Ghost (Prestø)

• Definition: The practice of breathing life into pre-recorded music through dance, by engaging deeply with rhythmic breaks and employing techniques like multimodal rhythmic modulation to reconnect with traditional Africana rhythmic complexities.

• Context: Africana dancers often dance to pre-recorded tracks, a shift driven by historical changes in musical tastes. Early recordings prioritized melody for white audiences, overshadowing Africana rhythmic intricacies. DJs extended rhythmic “breaks” in these recordings, allowing dancers to reconnect with their rhythms.

• Multimodal rhythmic modulation (Prestø) enhances this connection by integrating visual, auditory, and physical rhythms, enriching both performance and audience experience. The goal is to create a communal rhythmic journey, revitalizing pre-recorded music and fostering deep connections between dancers and the music.

 

 

Rhythmic Recursion (Prestø)

• Definition: A cyclical repetition in music and dance that functions as a foundational scaffold for improvisational ventures, anchoring spontaneous and fluid musical articulations within a recognizable framework.
• Context: Prominently features in African and African diaspora arts, realized through the intricate layering of distinct rhythms and dynamic conversations between performers.

 

Rhythmic Personality (Prestø)

• Definition: The individualistic rhythmic essence of a person, embodying their unique engagement with diverse elements of rhythm—sounds, silences, kinetic ebbs and flows, or moments of pause.
• Context: Creates a distinct rhythmic signature that reflects personal stories, emotions, and experiences, influencing and interacting with other rhythmic personalities in a collective performance.

 

Meloprosorhythmic Practices (Prestø)

• Definition: The integration of prosody, melody, and rhythm in African musical practices, where rhythms are melodically rich and prosodically inflected.
• Context: Encompasses linguistic, melodic, and rhythmic elements, creating a unique musical style in African drumming and dance.

 

Rhythmokinetic Prosody (Prestø)

• Definition: The link between movement qualities and sound qualities in Africana Dance, where the prosodic patterns of speech inform the rhythms and movements.
• Context: Emphasizes the interconnectedness of prosodic qualities (pitch, stress, rhythm, tempo, volume, tone, inflection, duration) in African drumming and dance.

 

Rhythmokinetic Prosodic Sounding (Prestø)

• Definition: A pedagogical approach recognizing the deep interconnectedness of movement and sound qualities, emphasizing prosodic use of the voice to convey complex information about movement.
• Context: Enhances understanding and embodiment of Africana dance forms, respecting the nuances and complexities of these practices.

Rhythmokinetic Inscription (Prestø)

• Definition: The concept that rhythm is a form of communication, and the body can interpret and express rhythm through movement, creating a lasting expression of rhythm.
• Context: Highlights the importance of understanding rhythm deeply to engage with and evolve within a dance style, with implications for cultural appropriation.

Rhythmodynamic Relational Ability (Prestø)

• Definition: The ability to relate rhythms and meters to each other by organizing them mentally or by adding or subtracting elements, encompassing listening, creation, and tracing skills.
• Context: Values subjective metronome and rhythm in Africana practices, enhancing Portent Rhythmic Ability, Rhythmic Ken, and Rhythmic Acumen.

 

Portent Rhythmic Ability (Prestø)

• Definition: The ability to foreshadow or predict a rhythmic event or alteration, based on understanding, intelligence, skill, observation, and calculation.
• Context: Can be trained and is often seen as a natural talent in Africana cultures, deeply rooted in rhythm ancestry and cultural practices.

 

Rhythmic Ken (Prestø)

• Definition: The range of vision or knowledge in rhythm, referring to the ability to see and understand the rhythmic terrain and possibilities.
• Context: Enhances RhythmoDynamic Relational Ability, Portent Rhythmic Ability, and Rhythmic Acumen in polyrhythmic structures.

 

Rhythmic Acumen (Prestø)

• Definition: The ability to make good judgments and take quick decisions in rhythm, showcasing virtuosity in Africana aesthetics.
• Context: Essential in dance battles and performances, reflecting the dancer’s ability to read music, the crowd, and their own body, making excellent rhythmic choices.

 

 

 

Actionable Rhythmic Intentionality (Prestø)

• Definition: The concept of dancers and drummers/musicians weaving and communicating intent in such a way as to arrive upon action together. Both parties actively manifest each other’s intentions, guiding each other from their etheric realms, shaping future actions. Is intimately linked to the concept of “arriving on action”.
• Context: Grounded in the rich traditions of African and Caribbean cultures, this practice emphasizes the synchronized convergence of intentions and actions between dancers and drummers, manifesting future actions collaboratively.

AfriChronoSomatic Navigation (Prestø)

• Definition: The culturally and environmentally nurtured sense of timing and rhythm intrinsic to Africana individuals, enabling the generation and intricate control of complex rhythms and swing time.
• Context: Embodies a legacy of multigenerational expertise and the essence of “cool” in navigating spaces charged with diverse stimuli.

 

RhythmoEnvironmental Acclimation (Prestø)

• Definition: The cultural and personal practice of adapting to one’s surroundings by attuning to the rhythm and vibration of a place, transforming challenges into expressions of resilience and artistry.
• Context: Highlights the physicality, social intelligence, and artistic expression involved in navigating diverse environments with grace and charisma.

 

Rhythmic Delving (Prestø)

• Definition: The systematic search for understanding rhythm and its relationship to duration and sophistication, involving the intentional alteration and renegotiation of rhythmic relationships.
• Context: Emphasizes the depth and complexity of rhythm exploration in Africana practices

 

Accentual Rhythmic Balance (Prestø)

• Definition: The balance of accents in music or dance performance to ensure the rhythm remains distinct and engaging, reflecting the level of rhythmic sophistication of the audience.
• Context: Highlights the importance of audience engagement in determining the depth of rhythmic exploration.

 

Polycosmic Dance (Prestø)

• Definition: A dance practice that draws upon multiple cosmologies, allowing dancers to embody the complex interplay between different cosmic forces.
• Context: Emphasizes the simultaneous activity of multiple cosmological references within a single performance.

SocioRhythm (Prestø)

• Definition: The broader sociocultural dimensions of rhythm within Africana dance, emphasizing the collective nature of rhythm and its role as a communal bridge.
• Context: Highlights how rhythm acts as a living chronicle of community histories and cultural narratives.

 

Theosocial Dance (Prestø)

• Definition: Dances with the intention of including non-physically bound entities as dancing participants.
• Context: Recognizes the inclusion of spirits or deities as active participants in the dance.

 

CorpoMagnetic Kinetic Sensing (Prestø)

• Definition: The dynamic interplay where dancers in acknowledge and lean into how they sense the other bodies in space and how they affect each other in and within the space. Movement patterns become organic and based on the push and pull which happens when bodies move toghether in a space and in relation.
• Context: Highlights the magnetic connection between dancers, creating a continuous and evolving dance negotiation.

 

Kinetic Entrainer (Prestø)

• Definition: The lead dancer who becomes the primary synchronization point between the rhythm of the drums and the dance ensemble.
• Context: Facilitates the alignment of movements with the drum’s beats, ensuring seamless and unified performance.

Full Corposensoric Rhythmic Computation (FCRC) (Prestø)

• Definition: A heightened state wherein the entire body becomes an advanced processor of rhythmic stimuli, anticipating, integrating, and expressing in real-time dance dialogue.
• Context: Emphasizes the holistic engagement with rhythmic patterns, spatial awareness, and collective energy within the dance.

 

Rhythmic Rapport (Prestø)

• Definition: The dynamic and interconnected relationship established between participants, rooted in mutual rhythmic understanding and communication.
• Context: Emphasizes the interconnectedness of performers and audience in Africana dance through shared rhythmic engagement.

 

Dynamic Rhythmic Tension (Prestø)

• Definition: The dynamics within a polyrhythmic structure that creates tension or challenge to the balance and equilibrium of the composition, adding excitement and risk.
• Context: Demonstrates the interplay between dancer and drummer, challenging each other’s ability to maintain rhythmic flow without collapse.

 

Meloprosorhythmic Practices (Prestø)

• Definition: The fusion of melody, prosody, and rhythm in African musical practices, creating a unique musical style that is both rhythmic and melodic.
• Context: Highlights the integration of melodic richness and rhythmic complexity in African drumming and music.

 

 

Gesto-rhythmitization (Prestø)

• Definition: The process by which rhythm and movement are imbued with gestural content, creating a new form of embodied communication.
• Context: Emphasizes the creation of gestural rhythms that transcend traditional musical rhythm and extend into the realm of movement and gesture.

Concerted Rhythmic Reinforcement (Prestø)

• Definition: When the ensemble builds up under the rhythm of either the main drummer or the main dancer, ensuring that the composition remains in an open and dynamic structure and that the rhythms are reinforced and affirmed.
• Context: Often used in African-American music and dance, where rhythms are created through a call-and-response pattern.

 

Accentuated Rhythmic Reinforcement (Prestø)

• Definition: When the main drummer or dancer “comments” on the ensemble’s rhythm by accentuating it and adding virtuosic phrases that cut across, contrast, or complement the existing rhythms.
• Context: Adds complexity and virtuosity to the composition, creating a sense of drama or tension.

 

Polyrhythmic Thread Alteration (Prestø)

• Definition: When one or more rhythmic threads in a polyrhythmic composition change, creating variations and elaborations in the rhythmic structure.
• Context: Highlights the dynamic and evolving nature of polyrhythmic compositions.

 

 

Polymetric Thread Alteration (Prestø)

• Definition: When one or more metric threads in a polymetric composition are altered, changing the feel and structure of the composition.
• Context: Adds complexity and interest to the rhythmic and metric structure

 

CorpoRhythMo (Prestø)

• Definition: Movements within the body that both represent and are enabled by dynamic rhythm, emphasizing the visual, auditory, and tactile dimensions of rhythmic movement.
• Context: Explores the multifaceted nature of rhythm in dance, highlighting the interplay between body and rhythm.

 

CorpoRhythmic Momentum (Prestø)

• Definition: The synergy of rhythm and physical force in dance, highlighting the momentum generated by rhythmic movement.
• Context: Emphasizes the confluence of power, speed, and grace in rhythmic dance movements.

 

CorpoRhythmic Coordination (Prestø)

• Definition: The art of aligning movements with rhythm, ensuring that movements harmonize with the rhythmic flow.
• Context: Demonstrates the importance of coordination in achieving fluid and powerful dance performances.

 

CorpoRhythmic Capacity (Prestø)

• Definition: A dancer’s ability to layer rhythms, integrate various dance elements, and harness the energy of the dance.
• Context: Reflects the depth and breadth of a dancer’s rhythmic engagement and their ability to produce captivating performances.

 

 

 

 

 

 

CorpoRhythmic Physics (Prestø)

• Definition: A holistic polycentric movement philosophy that encapsulates the multilayered essence of grounded rhythmic movement in African dance.
• Context: Explores the dynamics of corporeal movement, rhythm, and energy within the cultural mosaic of African dance.

CorpoRhythmic Kinetics (Prestø)

• Definition: The relationship between movement and rhythm in dance, emphasizing the interaction between physical motion and rhythmic patterns.
• Context: Explores how dancers synchronize their movements with rhythmic elements in music, creating a cohesive and dynamic performance.

 

CorpoRhythmokinetic (Prestø)

• Definition: Emphasizes the science and art of harnessing rhythm to enhance the efficiency and quality of bodily movements. It’s about channeling rhythmic patterns to improve movement propulsion and coordination, ensuring that different motions complement rather than clash with each other.
• Context: Reflects how rhythm in dance ensures seamless transitions and harmonious coexistence of movements, mirroring the coherence found in musical compositions.

 

TerraRhythmokinetic Propulsion (Prestø)

• Definition: Involves using the earth’s energy through the body’s core to propel grounded movements, infusing rhythmic dynamics for balance and dynamic propulsion.
• Context: This concept is akin to grounding oneself to create stability and leverage the Earth’s energy for powerful and fluid movements in dance.

 

Dutticiousness (Prestø)

• Definition: A movement technique involving the seamless incorporation of the Earth’s essence into the body’s movements, using gravitational force, muscle engagement, intentional movement, and proprioception. Dutty is Patois for fertile soil.
• Context: Enables dancers to embody grounded and fluid movement qualities, drawing energy from the Earth, enhancing the richness of their dance.

 

Kinetic Selfpolyfication (Prestø)

• Definition: The dynamic process where dancers multiply themselves through movement, shape, form, and energy without canceling any aspect of themselves.
• Context: Celebrates the coexistence and harmony of multiple selves within a dancer, allowing for a complex and dynamic expression of identity and movement.

 

Revitalizing the Exhausted Body (Prestø)

• Definition: The process of using rhythm, polyspirit practices, and jocundity to rejuvenate the dancer’s body, mind, and spirit after exhaustive physical activity.
• Context: Emphasizes the restorative and therapeutic potential of dance, rooted in cultural practices that celebrate joy and community resilience.

 

The Corporeal Locus of Joy (Prestø)

• Definition: Recognizes joy as an embodied experience, deeply connected to physical sensations and movements.
• Context: Highlights the importance of attuning to the body to fully embrace and experience joy, fostering communal and individual well-being.

 

Fulljoyment Praxis (Prestø)

• Definition: A holistic framework that combines mental and physical preparation to cultivate and sustain communal joy, integrating the ideological commitments of jocundity with the practical regimen of Feteletics.
• Context: Emphasizes the dual commitment to joy through ideological and physical engagement, ensuring that communal celebrations are both meaningful and sustainable.

Jocundity (Prestø)

• Definition: The intentional cultivation and celebration of joy within Black art forms and social activities, focusing on collective expressions of joy as a form of empowerment and resistance.
• Context: Recognizes joy as a communal and transformative force, amplifying collective resilience and cultural interconnectedness.

Feteletics (Prestø)

• Definition: A committed lifestyle of physical preparation aimed at ensuring stamina and resilience for participating in joyous communal activities.
• Context: Prepares individuals for the physical demands of celebrations like carnivals and fetes, enhancing their ability to sustain joy and contribute to the collective energy.

Terretoriogenic (Prestø)

• Definition: Refers to the creation and establishment of territories through rhythmic and cultural practices.
• Context: Emphasizes how cultural expressions and rhythms can define and reshape physical and social spaces, establishing new territories of identity and community.

 

Afri-Nomadic-Monumentalism

• Definition: Afri-Nomadic-Monumentalism (Prestø) is the practice of imbuing movement, gesture, and rhythm with meaning, transforming them into deposits of history and experience, and serving as archival storage units.

• Core Elements:

1. Embodied Archives: Movement, gesture, and rhythm become condensed texts holding historical and experiential meaning, decipherable through practice and embodiment.
2. Cultural Technology: This practice acts as a complex technology where the movements themselves are both monuments and texts, legible to those within the cultural context.
3. Dynamic Memory: Through rhythm and gesture, history and narratives are actively remembered and perpetuated, creating living, breathing monuments.

• Significance: Afri-Nomadic-Monumentalism transforms bodily movements into powerful repositories of cultural memory. This practice ensures that the history and experiences of the African Diaspora are preserved, celebrated, and understood within the community, maintaining a vibrant and resilient cultural identity.

CorpoKinetic Effigization

• Defintion: CorpoKinetic Effigization (Prestø) is the process through which individuals transform their bodies into living effigies that actively engage with and challenge systemic, historical, and personal traumas. It involves turning one’s body into a kinetic monument, a living archive that revisits, recalls, and seeks to reshape oppressive narratives.

• Core Components:

1. Embodiment: This involves internalizing narratives, memories, and traumas, making them a conscious part of one’s being. It’s a way to assert control over one’s history and identity.
2. Performance: Embodied narratives are brought to life through dance, theater, and public gestures, projecting and confronting dominant narratives. These performances engage audiences in a dialogue that spans both historical and contemporary contexts.
3. Transformation: The practice aims to change narratives, reshape perceptions, and reclaim agency. The effigized body is a site of continuous evolution, redefining its identity and the surrounding world.

• Historical Context and Evolution: CorpoKinetic Effigization has roots in the histories of oppressed groups, particularly within the African Diaspora during slavery and colonization. When vocal resistance was dangerous, the body became a powerful medium of resistance through subtle gestures, dances, and coded movements. Traditional African dances served as stories, memories, and messages, preserving histories actively being erased by oppressors.

• Implications and Significance: This practice allows individuals to connect with their histories, find strength in their roots, and shape their future paths. Collectively, it provides communities with a shared sense of identity and purpose. It challenges dominant narratives by offering perspectives rooted in lived experiences. In a globalized world where identities are in flux, CorpoKinetic Effigization anchors individuals and communities, blending deep historical consciousness with dynamic future orientation.

Smaddiaesthetics (Prestø)

• Definition: Smaddiaesthetics is a richly-layered concept rooted in the Caribbean philosophy of smadditization. Smadditization is derived from the term “smaddy” or “somebody” in Caribbean vernacular, representing the assertion of self-worth, personhood, and identity, especially in the face of societal marginalization or disregard. It’s an act of proclaiming, “I am somebody,” a resilient affirmation against oppressive forces.
• Context: The heart of smaddiaesthetics lies in the interplay between somaesthetics (bodily perception and practice) and smadditization. Through this, the philosophy encapsulates a notion where the body and its movements are not just modes of expression but powerful tools of resistance and affirmation. This term was coined to reflect the unique cultural, social, and political dynamics of the Caribbean and its diaspora, emphasizing the role of embodied practices in asserting identity and challenging dominant narratives.

Smaddiaesthetic Experience (Prestø)

• Definition: This concept celebrates moments where one’s very existence becomes a symbol of defiance and affirmation.
• Context: Smaddiaesthetic experience delves into instances where marginalized individuals, in asserting their identity, challenge dominant societal narratives. For example, when a person with a disability dances with fervor and grace, it becomes more than a dance; it transforms into an embodiment of smadditization, a declaration that they are “somebody” and that their narrative is as significant as any other. Similarly, when a Black dance company performs in traditionally “white” spaces or theaters, breaking barriers and stereotypes, it smadditizes the space, asserting their presence and expanding the range of representation.

Smaddiaesthetic Practice (Prestø)

• Definition: Daily actions, no matter how small or routine, become radical acts of self-assertion.
• Context: Smaddiaesthetic practice highlights how everyday actions can challenge oppressive norms and celebrate individual identity. For instance, a Black woman wearing her hair naturally is engaging in smadditization. This act goes beyond a hairstyle; it challenges Eurocentric beauty standards and celebrates African heritage. It is a declaration of worth, history, and pride.

Smaddiaesthetic Representation (Prestø)

• Definition: The role of art and representation in asserting identity and challenging stereotypes.
• Context: Artistic mediums serve as powerful tools for marginalized communities to express their narratives and contest prevailing stereotypes. For example, a mural artist depicting the stories of marginalized communities is practicing smaddiaesthetics. This form of art not only creates visibility but also serves as a canvas for these communities to declare their existence and importance.

Smaddiaesthetic Activism (Prestø)

• Definition: The intertwining of activism with bodily expression.
• Context: Smaddiaesthetic activism involves embodying dissent through physical expressions. For example, a dance performance at a protest against racial discrimination is an act of smaddiaesthetics. The synchronized and powerful movements of the dancers proclaim their shared identity and challenge the forces that seek to marginalize them.

Smaddiaesthetic Philosophy (Prestø)

• Definition: An intellectual exploration of the convergence of body, identity, and society.
• Context: This aspect of smaddiaesthetics questions and examines how embodied practices can serve as tools of resistance and platforms of affirmation. Scholars studying the dance forms of marginalized communities are not just analyzing art; they are exploring how these dance forms, deeply embedded in the philosophy of smadditization, encapsulate the histories, struggles, and aspirations of these communities.

About the Term “Smaddy” (Jamaican and Trinidadian Patois word)

Origin: The term “smaddy” is a colloquial Caribbean term meaning “somebody.”

Context: “Smaddy” signifies the assertion of self-worth and identity, particularly in contexts where individuals or communities are marginalized or overlooked. It is a declaration of being and presence, a powerful statement of “I am somebody.”

This concept build on the term Smadditization which I will provide a definition and context of here even if it was not coined by me. The following section deals with other terms not coined by me but at less length.

 

Glossary of Contextualized Terms Unique Contextual Terms with Adjusted Definitions. Established term, this points to how these terms are used in this Cognoscape.

Afrofuturism

• Definition: A cultural aesthetic that blends elements of science fiction, history, and fantasy to explore the African diaspora’s experience.
• Context: Reimagines and reshapes the past and future through a Black cultural lens, blending technology, spirituality, and cultural identity.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Afrofuturism: The World of Black Sci-Fi and Fantasy Culture” by Ytasha L. Womack

Entrainment

• Definition: The synchronization of two interacting systems to a shared frequency.
• Context: In dance, refers to the synchronization of movements and rhythms between performers, creating a cohesive performance.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Entrainment and the Human Connection in Music and Dance” by Barbara Lex

EPISTEMICIDE

• Definition: Epistemicide refers to the deliberate destruction or undermining of a particular system of knowledge, especially indigenous or marginalized knowledges. It encompasses the processes by which dominant cultures and colonial powers invalidate and erase the epistemologies of subjugated communities, often replacing them with their own worldviews.
• Context: Epistemicide is deeply rooted in colonial and imperial histories, where the imposition of Western knowledge systems systematically devalued and eradicated indigenous ways of knowing. This process not only marginalized non-Western epistemologies but also facilitated the cultural and intellectual domination of colonized peoples. Today, the concept is used to critique ongoing practices that continue to undermine the epistemic diversity necessary for global equity and justice. Scholars in postcolonial studies, such as Boaventura de Sousa Santos, have extensively discussed epistemicide in their work on the global knowledge economy and the need to decolonize epistemological frameworks.
• Reference: Santos, Boaventura de Sousa. Epistemologies of the South: Justice Against Epistemicide. Routledge, 2014.

Improvisation

• Definition: The spontaneous creation and execution of music or dance within a structured framework.
• Context: Fundamental in African and African diaspora art forms, allowing personal expression and dynamic interaction.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Improvisation: Its Nature and Practice in Music” by Derek Bailey

Polycentrism

• Definition: The presence of multiple centers of movement or focus within a dance.
• Context: Reflects the complexity and dynamism of African and African diaspora dance forms.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Polycentricity and Local Public Economies” edited by Michael D. McGinnis

Polyrhythm

• Definition: The simultaneous use of two or more conflicting rhythms.
• Context: A foundational element in African and African diaspora music and dance, creating intricate rhythmic structures.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Polyrhythmic Studies for Snare Drum” by Marvin Dahlgren and Elliot Fine

Rhythm

• Definition: The pattern of sounds and silences in music.
• Context: Central in African and African diaspora music and dance, shaping the flow and energy of performances.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Rhythm: The Ultimate Guide” by Martin Jenkins

Swing

• Definition: A rhythmic quality characterized by a sense of propulsion and groove.
• Context: Influences the movement and feel of dance performances, particularly in jazz and related genres.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Swing: The Search for My Father, Louis Prima” by Tom Clavin

 

Syncopation

• Definition: A rhythmic technique emphasizing off-beats or unexpected accents.
• Context: Widely used in African and African diaspora music and dance to create dynamic rhythms.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Syncopation for the Modern Drummer” by Ted Reed

Diaspora

• Definition: The dispersion of people from their original homeland.
• Context: Refers to the global spread of African peoples and cultures, shaping diverse artistic traditions.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “The Black Atlantic: Modernity and Double Consciousness” by Paul Gilroy

Call and Response

• Definition: A musical form where a phrase (the call) is answered by a responding phrase (the response), creating a conversational dynamic.
• Context: A common structure in African and African diaspora music and dance, fostering interaction between performers and audience.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Call and Response: Key Debates in African American Studies” edited by Henry Louis Gates Jr. and Jennifer Burton

Kinetic Movement

• Definition: Encompasses the principles and dynamics governing bodies in motion, including the study of muscle, tendon, and bone interactions to produce movement.
• Context: Highlights the importance of understanding forces, energy, and dynamics in optimizing human movement, crucial for dancers, athletes, and physical therapists.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Bodies in Motion: A Hands-On Guide to Anatomy for the Artist” by David Rubins

Territoriality

• Definition: The way in which dancers and performers claim and define space through their movements.
• Context: Emphasizes the significance of space in performance, how it is shaped, and how it shapes the performance.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Spatial Dynamics and Design” by Gary Hack

Cultural Resilience

• Definition: The ability of a cultural group to withstand and adapt to challenges while maintaining core cultural elements.
• Context: Highlights how African and African diaspora communities use art and dance as forms of resistance and adaptation.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Cultural Resilience: The Production of Meaning through Historical Trauma in Community Settings” by Andrew Jolivétte

Ancestral Memory

• Definition: The inherited collective memory of a community, passed down through generations.
• Context: Emphasizes the role of dance and music in preserving and transmitting cultural heritage and history.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “The Power of the Past: Heritage and History in Global Perspective” edited by Roger B. Beck and David C. Agnew

Embodied Knowledge

• Definition: Knowledge that is gained and expressed through bodily experience and movement.
• Context: Central in African and African diaspora dance, where learning and expression are deeply physical and experiential.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma” by Bessel van der Kolk

Cosmology

• Definition: The understanding of the universe and its origins, structure, and functioning.
• Context: In dance, reflects how movements and rhythms can embody and express cultural cosmologies and worldviews.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “The Dancing Universe: From Creation Myths to the Big Bang” by Marcelo Gleiser

Ritualistic Elements

• Definition: Aspects of performance that are tied to cultural rituals and ceremonies.
• Context: Highlights the spiritual and communal significance of dance and music in African and African diaspora traditions.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Sacred Dance: Encounter with the Gods” by W. O. E. Oesterley

Cultural Hybridity

• Definition: The blending and merging of different cultural elements to create new, hybrid forms.
• Context: Reflects the dynamic and evolving nature of cultural identity in the African diaspora, as seen in music, dance, and other art forms.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Cultural Hybridity” by Peter Burke

Transcultural Exchange

• Definition: The process of cultural exchange and influence between different cultural groups.
• Context: Emphasizes the bidirectional flow of cultural elements, leading to mutual influence and adaptation.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Transcultural Communication” by Andreas Hepp

Embodied Resilience

• Definition: The capacity of individuals and communities to use physical practices, such as dance, to cope with and recover from adversity.
• Context: Highlights the therapeutic and restorative potential of dance and movement in maintaining mental and physical health.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “The Resilient Practitioner: Burnout and Compassion Fatigue Prevention and Self-Care Strategies for the Helping Professions” by Thomas M. Skovholt

Spiritual Syncretism

• Definition: The blending of different religious and spiritual traditions into a cohesive practice.
• Context: Reflects how African diaspora communities integrate various spiritual elements into their cultural practices.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Spirituality in the Flesh: Bodily Sources of Religious Experiences” by Robert C. Fuller

Community Cohesion

• Definition: The sense of solidarity and connection within a community.
• Context: Emphasizes the role of communal activities, such as dance and music, in fostering strong community bonds.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Community: The Structure of Belonging” by Peter Block

Aesthetic Resurgence

• Definition: The revival and renewal of artistic practices and aesthetics that had become dormant or marginalized.
• Context: Highlights how contemporary movements in dance and music draw from and revitalize traditional forms.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Aesthetic Afterlives: Irony, Literary Modernity and the Ends of Beauty” by Andrew Eastham

Microtonal

• Definition: Music that utilizes a system of tuning that includes intervals smaller than the standard Western semitone, allowing for a wider range of pitch.
• Context: Prevalent in African singing and drumming, employing small, subtle shifts in pitch and intonation to create a rich and complex musical language.

 

Cultural Continuity

• Definition: The maintenance and transmission of cultural practices and values across generations.
• Context: Emphasizes the role of dance and music in preserving cultural identity and heritage.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Cultural Continuity in Native American Societies” by Nancy Shoemaker

Performative Agency

• Definition: The capacity of performers to influence and shape their cultural and social environments through performance.
• Context: Highlights how dancers and musicians can use their art to make political and social statements.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Performative Acts and Gender Constitution: An Essay in Phenomenology and Feminist Theory” by Judith Butler

Cultural Memory

• Definition: The shared pool of knowledge and cultural information passed down within a community.
• Context: Emphasizes the role of performance in maintaining and transmitting this collective memory.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Cultural Memory and Western Civilization: Functions, Media, Archives” by Aleida Assmann

Rhythmic Intelligence

• Definition: The ability to understand and manipulate complex rhythmic structures.
• Context: Reflects the skill and expertise required to perform and create intricate rhythms in African and African diaspora music and dance.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Rhythm: The Ultimate Guide” by Martin Jenkins

Embodied Rituals

• Definition: Physical practices that are deeply rooted in cultural rituals and traditions.
• Context: Highlights how dance and movement can serve as living embodiments of cultural rituals.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Embodied Rituals: Healing and Transformation in African Religions” by Ngugi wa Thiong’o

Expressive Range

• Definition: The range and intensity of expression within a performance.
• Context: Emphasizes the emotional and physical expressiveness required in African and African diaspora dance.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Dynamics of Expressive Behaviour: Psychology of Non-Verbal Communication” by Howard Giles

Intergenerational Transmission

• Definition: The passing down of cultural knowledge and practices from one generation to the next.
• Context: Emphasizes the role of elders and tradition bearers in preserving cultural heritage.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Passing It On: The Transmission of Music in Irish Culture” by Thérèse Smith

Cultural Sovereignty

• Definition: The right and ability of a cultural group to define and maintain its own cultural practices and identities.
• Context: Highlights the importance of cultural self-determination and autonomy.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Cultural Sovereignty: Native Rights and the Question of Self-Government” by Renée Ann Cramer

Embodied Aesthetics

• Definition: The aesthetic principles and values that are expressed through bodily movement and performance.
• Context: Reflects how dance and movement can be used to express beauty and artistic ideals.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Embodied Aesthetics: Proceedings of the 3rd Conference on Computation, Communication, Aesthetics and X” edited by Emily Baker

 

Rhythmic Complexity

• Definition: The complex interplay of rhythms within a cultural or musical context.
• Context: Highlights the sophistication and intricacy of African and African diaspora rhythmic practices.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “The Rhythmic Structure of Music” by Grosvenor Cooper and Leonard B. Meyer

Melorhythm

• Definition: A concept in African music referring to a melodic formation with a strong rhythmic influence, often found in toned musical instruments that produce fundamental pitches with reverb and clustered harmonics.
• Context: Creates a dual manifestation of tune and harmony in African music, reflecting the fundamental philosophy in African cosmology.

 

Narrative Movement

• Definition: The use of bodily movement to tell stories and convey narratives.
• Context: Emphasizes the storytelling aspect of dance in African and African diaspora cultures.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Narrative and Embodiment: An Interdisciplinary Exploration” edited by Elena Fiddian-Qasmiyeh

Collective Embodiment

• Definition: The shared physical experience of a group through coordinated movement or dance.
• Context: Highlights the communal and collective nature of dance in African and African diaspora traditions.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Collective Embodiment in a Time of Social Distancing” by Julianne O’Brien

Cultural Resonance

• Definition: Rhythms that deeply connect with and resonate within a cultural or personal context.
• Context: Reflects the emotional and cultural significance of rhythms in African and African diaspora music and dance.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “The Power of Music: Pioneering Discoveries in the New Science of Song” by Elena Mannes

Expressive Movement

• Definition: The use of movement and dance to convey stories and emotions.
• Context: Highlights the expressive power of dance in conveying complex narratives and emotions.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “The Expressive Body in Life, Art, and Therapy” by Daria Halprin

Spatial Dynamics

• Definition: The use of space in performance and how it affects movement and interaction.
• Context: Emphasizes the importance of spatial awareness and dynamics in dance.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Spatial Dynamics and Design” by Gary Hack

Cultural Expression

• Definition: The physical manifestation of cultural values, beliefs, and practices through movement and performance.
• Context: Highlights how dance and music serve as expressions of cultural identity and heritage.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Cultural Expression through Dance” by Joann Kealiinohomoku

Epistemicide

• Definition: The systematic destruction of a people’s knowledge base and ways of knowing.
• Context: Reflects the impact of colonialism and other forms of domination on indigenous knowledge systems.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Epistemicide: The Killing of Knowledge Systems” by Boaventura de Sousa Santos

Decolonialization

• Definition: The deconstruction of colonial ideologies of the superiority and privilege of Western thought and approaches.
• Context: Emphasizes the importance of restoring cultural autonomy and authenticity.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Decolonizing Methodologies: Research and Indigenous Peoples” by Linda Tuhiwai Smith

Intersectionality

• Definition: The interconnected nature of social categorizations such as race, class, and gender, regarded as creating overlapping and interdependent systems of discrimination or disadvantage.
• Context: Highlights the complexity of identities and the multiple layers of oppression experienced by individuals.
• Suggested Reading:
  • “Intersectionality” by Kimberlé Crenshaw