ABSTRACT

The chapter argues that the physical body is shaped by social and cultural practices. It applies Pierre Bourdieu's concepts of field, capital and 'habitus' as a way of understanding beliefs about the body and connections between body, gender and identity. The chapter utilizes creative contexts of dance and choreography to explore how the embodiment of dance movement is inscribed on a group of individuals and how previously known 'rules of the game' as ballet bodies, can be negotiated, subverted or broken. It interweaves the lived experiences of a group of five, white, female, adult dancers, between the ages of 19 and 26 years, as they engage in a choreography project that is in contrast to their 'usual' habitus, preferred dance style and way of working. The chapter examines how the dancers embody the choreographic style and underpinning techniques cognitively and physically, with social relevance and meaning.