Early Dances, studied and reconstructed from manuscript through to staged performance, clearly demonstrate how interpretations vary according to context and time of presentation. Taking Raphael Samuel and David Lowenthal’s claims that human beings sometimes create hyper-realities, Walter Benjamin’s theory of auratic loss and recent responses to a short questionnaire circulated to members of Early Dance groups and previous conference delegates, it is possible to show how meanings and interpretations change through time. Differences of opinion, between researchers and performers on accuracy of transcription, research methods and style of performance keep an interest in Early Dance alive but also challenges us to consider whether what we believe we are doing is quite the same as what we actually do?
Cathie Bowness