Presentation Schedule
Understanding and Performing Silence in Dance (95531)
Session Chair: Anantdeep Grewal
This presentation will be live-streamed via Zoom (Online Access)
Saturday, 4 October 2025 10:45
Session: Session 1
Room: Live-Stream Room 3
Presentation Type:Live-Stream Presentation
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Silence in performance has often been explored in theatre, yet its role in dance remains an under-examined study area. While theatre can exist as a standalone medium, dance, and music often rely on additional elements to create meaning. This paper investigates silence as an active choreographic element in dance, examining how movement, stillness, and the absence of sound contribute to performance dynamics. By questioning how silence is embodied in movement, this study explores whether silence in dance functions merely as an absence of sound or if it extends beyond that, shaping the performer’s expression and the audience’s perception. In this paper, we examine a few productions, such as Peter Brook’s concept of “The empty space” and the works of choreographers such as Chandralekha, Akram Khan, and Astad Daboo; their modern approaches and use of the element of silence in the way they have perceived, observed and analyzed in the performance space. Additionally, this paper will also try to cover the influence of culture and context of a region in using elements in productions, the style of dance(whether classical or folk), and of course the treatment of the space and techniques. Methodologically, this study employs performance analysis, choreographic case studies, and audience reception studies to understand how silence is choreographed and received. Through this lens, the paper aims to reveal how dance can speak through silence, creating an immersive experience beyond verbal or musical articulation.
Authors:
Sramana Banerjee, Independent Scholar, India
About the Presenter(s)
Sramana Banerjee's interests span classical and contemporary dance, performance studies, non-verbal communication, and movement-based healing methodologies.
See this presentation on the full schedule – Saturday Schedule
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