Playful Choreographies and Choreographies of Play: New Research in Dance and Play Studies

The author explores the relationship of play to choreography. He defines choreography as the rules that guide body movements from their minute physicality to their broad social and cultural contours. He conducts a review of the literature and accentuates five general topics—learning through creativity; choreography as writing and pedagogy; comparisons of dance and choreography to play and sport; children’s play and environments as choreographies; and choreography as critical play interventions in public spaces. He argues that viewing play through a choreographic lens helps us understand how players physically communicate and create meaning through action in various play situations.