Danser l'Anarchie: théories et pratiques anarchistes dans le Judson Dance Theater, Grand Union et le Contact Improvisation

Résumé: On parle souvent, à l’égard de la danse post-moderne américaine des années 1960 et 1970, de corps, de mouvements, de procédures chorégraphiques démocratiques. Pourtant, certains traits de ces danses (déhiérarchisation des parties du corps et des virtuosités, recherche de processus de décision collectifs...) s’opposent de manière critique à la démocratie libérale. C’est plutôt de l’anarchisme qu’elles se réclament. En s’appuyant sur trois aventures collectives américaines, et en examinant les écrits de Steve Paxton comme témoin et acteur de ces aventures, cet article se demande: Qu’est-ce qu’un postulat anarchiste permet de voir dans ces danses? Que nous apprennent les pratiques chorégraphiques sur l’anarchie? Abstract: Post-modern dances of the 1960s and 1970s in the US are often associated with democracy: with democratic bodies, movements, and choreographic procedures. Yet some of their key aspects (such as the dehierarchization of creation processes, body parts and virtuosities, the investigation of new systems of collective decisions…) directly oppose and criticize representative liberal democracies. This article proposes that anarchism, as the theory and practice of rejecting and interrogating forms of domination, could be a richer term to describe their political intents. Through a case study of three collective choreographic adventures, as well as the testimony of dancer and choreographer Steve Paxton, it asks: What can we learn about post-modern dances through the lens of anarchy? And what can we learn about anarchy through the lens of those dances? Resumo: Quando se fala da dança pós-moderna americana dos anos 1960 e 1970, fala-se com frequência de corpos, de movimentos e de procedimentos coreográficos democráticos. No entanto, certos aspectos dessas danças (des-hierarquização das partes do corpo e das virtuoses, busca de processos de decisão coletivos...) se opõem de maneira crítica à democracia liberal. Elas seriam reivindicações anarquistas, mais do que democráticas. Baseando-se em três aventuras coletivas americanas, e examinando os escritos de Steve Paxton como testemunha e ator dessas aventuras, este artigo pergunta: o que um postulado anarquista permite ver nessas danças? O que nos ensinam as práticas coreográficas sobre a anarquia?