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Bonus: Michael Kliën and the Body Politic

Jan 22, 2025
Michael Kliën, an Austrian-born dance professor and leading social choreographer at Duke University, explores profound societal change through movement. He discusses innovative projects like 'Parliament,' which emphasizes non-verbal communication to foster connection. Kliën highlights the transformative power of movement for personal identity and communal expression, advocating for inclusivity, especially among diverse groups. He also reflects on the role of art in activism and challenges listeners to embrace the absurd as a means to inspire societal transformation.
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INSIGHT

Parliament's Purpose

  • In "Parliament", strangers interact wordlessly for hours.
  • This reveals how socialization shapes us and what "politics we carry in our everyday body."
ANECDOTE

Inspiration for Parliament

  • Michael Kliën developed "Parliament" after witnessing Greece's crisis.
  • He observed protests and a society struggling with economic hardship.
ANECDOTE

Participant Reactions

  • Some "Parliament" participants had revelatory, behavior-changing moments.
  • Others felt depressed returning to a world requiring social armor.
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