Modern dance in the third reich: Six positions and a coda

Susan A. Manning

doi:10.4324/9781315255842-42

Modern dance in the third reich: Six positions and a coda

Susan A. Manning^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

English

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter

Abstract

Itisacuriousfactthatinterdisciplinarysurveysoftheartsoftenexcludedance. Thereasonsforthisexclusioninterestmelessthanhowtheinclusionofdance mightalterthescriptingoftheculturalrecord.Oncedanceiswrittenintothe historyofthearts,howwillthenarrativesgoverningthathistoryshiftinresponse? Forme,thisistheprovocativequestion.NotthatIdenythevalidityofaskingwhy culturalhistoryhasignoreddance,buttheanswersseemself-evident. 1 Intermsofmyownresearch,whatconcernsmeisnotwhymosthistorians ofGermanculturehaveoverlookedthedevelopmentofAusdruckstanz("danceof expression"),asmoderndancewasknownduringtheinterwaryears,butrather howthehistoryofAusdruckstanzcountersthestandardnarrativesandperiodizationofWeimarculture.SurveyaftersurveyreiteratesthefamiliartaleofWeimar modernismcutshortbytheriseofNationalSocialismin1933.Thenow-standardstudiesofWeimarculturebyPeterGay,WalterLaqueur,johnWillett,and BarbelSchraderandjurgenScheberalookatliterature,theater,painting,film, music,architecture,design,evenpopularentertainmentandmassmedia,butnot Ausdruckstanz 2Theomissionissignificant:Weremoderndanceincluded,then thenotionthattheNationalSocialistsbrandedallmanifestationsofartisticmodernismas"degenerate"wouldnolongerhold.Forincontrasttotheotherarts, whereamajorityofleadingmodernistseitherwentintoexileorstoppedworking after1933,onlyaminorityofself-proclaimedmodernistsindanceemigrated. ThemajorityofmoderndancersremainedinGermanyafterHitlercameto powerand,invaryingways,cametotermswiththeThirdReich 3 Onlyrecentlyhavedancers,critics,andscholarsbeguntoprobethealliance betweenAusdruckstanzandNationalSocialism.Todate,theirdiscussionhas sketchedfivepositionsfromwhichtoviewthedancers'collaboration.Allfive perspectivesimplicitlytheorizetherelationsbetweenideologyandform,andthis essaybeginsbyuncoveringandarticulatingthedifferingassumptionsunderlying eachviewpoint.Threeofthefivepositionsassumeone-to-onecorrespondences betweenideologyandform,investingtheformofAusdruckstanzortheformofits antagonist,ballet,withpersistentideologicalimports.Incontrast,manyofthe Modern Dance in the Third Reich 167 ofsupportforfascistaesthetics.10Inthepostwarperiod,Wigmansawherselfas avictimofNazipolicy,notasanartistcomplicitinherownvictimization-and thevictimizationofothers.

Original language	English (US)
Title of host publication	European Theatre Performance Practice, 1900 to the Present
Publisher	Taylor and Francis
Pages	427-439
Number of pages	13
ISBN (Electronic)	9781351938273
ISBN (Print)	9781315255842
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.4324/9781315255842-42
State	Published - Jan 1 2016

ASJC Scopus subject areas

General Arts and Humanities

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10.4324/9781315255842-42

Cite this

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title = "Modern dance in the third reich: Six positions and a coda",

abstract = "Itisacuriousfactthatinterdisciplinarysurveysoftheartsoftenexcludedance. Thereasonsforthisexclusioninterestmelessthanhowtheinclusionofdance mightalterthescriptingoftheculturalrecord.Oncedanceiswrittenintothe historyofthearts,howwillthenarrativesgoverningthathistoryshiftinresponse? Forme,thisistheprovocativequestion.NotthatIdenythevalidityofaskingwhy culturalhistoryhasignoreddance,buttheanswersseemself-evident. 1 Intermsofmyownresearch,whatconcernsmeisnotwhymosthistorians ofGermanculturehaveoverlookedthedevelopmentofAusdruckstanz({"}danceof expression{"}),asmoderndancewasknownduringtheinterwaryears,butrather howthehistoryofAusdruckstanzcountersthestandardnarrativesandperiodizationofWeimarculture.SurveyaftersurveyreiteratesthefamiliartaleofWeimar modernismcutshortbytheriseofNationalSocialismin1933.Thenow-standardstudiesofWeimarculturebyPeterGay,WalterLaqueur,johnWillett,and BarbelSchraderandjurgenScheberalookatliterature,theater,painting,film, music,architecture,design,evenpopularentertainmentandmassmedia,butnot Ausdruckstanz 2Theomissionissignificant:Weremoderndanceincluded,then thenotionthattheNationalSocialistsbrandedallmanifestationsofartisticmodernismas{"}degenerate{"}wouldnolongerhold.Forincontrasttotheotherarts, whereamajorityofleadingmodernistseitherwentintoexileorstoppedworking after1933,onlyaminorityofself-proclaimedmodernistsindanceemigrated. ThemajorityofmoderndancersremainedinGermanyafterHitlercameto powerand,invaryingways,cametotermswiththeThirdReich 3 Onlyrecentlyhavedancers,critics,andscholarsbeguntoprobethealliance betweenAusdruckstanzandNationalSocialism.Todate,theirdiscussionhas sketchedfivepositionsfromwhichtoviewthedancers'collaboration.Allfive perspectivesimplicitlytheorizetherelationsbetweenideologyandform,andthis essaybeginsbyuncoveringandarticulatingthedifferingassumptionsunderlying eachviewpoint.Threeofthefivepositionsassumeone-to-onecorrespondences betweenideologyandform,investingtheformofAusdruckstanzortheformofits antagonist,ballet,withpersistentideologicalimports.Incontrast,manyofthe Modern Dance in the Third Reich 167 ofsupportforfascistaesthetics.10Inthepostwarperiod,Wigmansawherselfas avictimofNazipolicy,notasanartistcomplicitinherownvictimization-and thevictimizationofothers.",

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doi = "10.4324/9781315255842-42",

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BT - European Theatre Performance Practice, 1900 to the Present

PB - Taylor and Francis

ER -

Modern dance in the third reich: Six positions and a coda

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