“Dance and the Evolution of Consciousness”
In his seminal work on the evolution of consciousness, Jean Gebser examined how shifts in self-nature orientation as expressed through the creative ingenuity of humans have corresponded with the emergence of consciousness from the vital world and an increased identification with the transcendent. As one of the most immediate channels through which our spiritual nature becomes transparent to the visible world, dance, like other forms of artistic expression, has undergone shifts in quality, structure, and purpose in accordance with our unfolding psycho-spiritual self-awareness. This presentation will strive to render transparent layers of our collective psyche with a broad historical overview of dance through the lens of Gebser’s magical, mythical, and mental mutations of consciousness. The overview will be followed by a performance of the corresponding qualities and values of each mutation in order to elucidate how the moving body has incarnated the spiritual orientation of humans throughout history. Technique will be drawn from shamanic, classical Eastern, and contemporary Western modalities, culminating in an embodied interpretation of the synergistic qualities of the integral mutation, thus allowing us an opportunity to reflect upon how dance might be experienced by the emerging integral consciousness.