Times of Change: Artistic Perspectives and Cultural Crossings in Nineteenth-Century Dance

Nineteenth-century dance built upon a dense network of transcultural and intercultural relationships among European centers and on an extensive network of professionals in the theatrical world who created a real “ballet industry”. The conventional history of dance often focuses on the historical identity of an institution’s past without adopting the multifocal perspective that on the contrary constituted the lifeblood of past dance practices, which instead were constructed according to a “multidirectional” logic. From this situation the importance of the study and analysis of the artistic networks and the choreographic practices of the nineteenth century against the backdrop of diverse political systems and different socio-cultural contexts is obvious. It is crucial for dance studies to adopt a transcultural approach that focuses on dialogue and on reciprocal influences that various cultures exerted on past artists and on the groups of workers who acted in the field of dance and music.
Through a meticulous analytical and transdisciplinary approach, the conference proceedings focus on the phenomenon of mobility amongst artists of the European music and dance theater in the nineteenth century and on the social and political aspects that influenced artistic and cultural developments. One of the many tracks to trace could be the triangulation of lively exchanges of dance cultures between Italy, France and Austria, which were of particular importance to the culture of nineteenth-century dance in Vienna, Paris and the Italian theatrical centers of Milan, Florence, Venice and Naples. The publication aims to challenge recurring ideas of dance historiography, highlight paths and developments of dance practices in diverse contexts and it will initiate a transdisciplinary and international exchange project among scholars in order to create synergies and promote dialogue on new research results and perspectives.