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.
Michael Kliën emphasizes the importance of non-verbal communication through movement to foster deeper human connections and understanding.
Kliën's approach critiques traditional art and advocates for inclusive experiences that challenge societal norms, promoting cultural and ethical shifts for social change.
Deep dives
Embodied Change Through Social Choreography
Michael Kleon emphasizes the significance of physical embodiment as a foundation for transformative change in society. His work as a social choreographer seeks to understand and enhance human relationships through movement and shared experiences. By focusing on the body, he challenges the conventional notion that only select individuals are dancers, asserting that everyone has the capacity to move and communicate without language. This approach also encourages participants to explore their socialization and engage with others in meaningful ways, fostering a deeper connection to their own feelings and those of others.
The Experiment of Parliament
Kleon's notable project, Parliament, involves bringing together a diverse group of individuals in a space where they cannot speak, allowing them to communicate solely through movement. This experiment has shown a progression from initial discomfort and awkwardness to a profound engagement where participants negotiate their relationships and interactions without relying on verbal communication. The structure of Parliament invites participants to strip away their social identities, prompting a raw experience of democracy that can reveal deep insights into interpersonal dynamics and societal structures. Kleon believes this method helps individuals confront their own biases and understand the collective essence of human interaction.
Challenging Traditional Notions of Art and Activism
Kleon articulates a vision of art that transcends mere aesthetic appeal, proposing that true artistry can provoke meaningful engagement and collaboration among people. He critiques traditional art forms that often serve as propaganda for the status quo, advocating instead for works that challenge societal norms and evoke a collective reconsideration of reality. In his perspective, effective social change arises not merely from policy reform but through shifting cultural and ethical understandings. By creating inclusive spaces for shared experiences, he aims to catalyze individuals' desire for a better world and encourage them to confront the uncomfortable truths about their own societal roles.
Michael Kliën wants to help bring about profound change in the world, but not through the usual means. An Austrian-born Dance professor at Duke University, Kliën is a leading social choreographer. He sets up experiments involving people moving amongst each other -- wordlessly -- in pursuit of new ways of being and the "soul democratic."
By Scene on Radio host and producer John Biewen. Music by goodnight, Lucas and Blue Dot Sessions.
Scene on Radio is a production of the Kenan Institute for Ethics at Duke University.