Introduction

Summary

The Introduction outlines the theoretical work that undergirds my analysis and defines the key terms and scope of my discussion. It explains that the bodies discussed in this book are “unruly” in two senses. On one level, the pervasive representation of the solo dancer as a disruptive, marginal, or vulnerable figure is inextricably linked with the historical role of choral dance as a communal, socializing practice in Greek culture. On another, the conceptual unruliness of the individual, idiosyncratic dancer emerges as a way to foreground how the work of putting dance into words generates both creative opportunities and certain forms of instability and risk. Engaging with recent work in both Classics and Dance Studies, this Introduction sets out the contextual and comparative approach that defines the book. It also offers a brief overview of Greek dance and performance culture as a backdrop to my more focused readings of individual texts and figures in the chapters to come.