A framework for understanding practice as research in dance

Abstract

Practice as research (PaR) is the view that practice is both the object of research as well as the research itself. In dance, choreographers who embrace this approach are confronted with a challenging problem: to use self-observation to access information during practice without simultaneously disrupting the very process of creativity which is at the heart of their inquiry. ?Mimetically-cued Recall? (MCR) is a research methodology devised by the author to address this problem. Through a series of participatory, action-based movement experiments, MCR participants used reflexive choreographic reenactment to retroactively explore the creative process and thus address the issue of simultaneity in PaR. MCR recasts research as both a method and a new choreographic tool that is integral to the practice as research process. This change in perspective opens a door for dance practice to be conducted concurrently with research while still maintaining the integrity of the creative process.