Shaping the Living Body: paradigms of soma and authority in Thomas Hanna's writings

Abstract: This article outlines some features of the discursive strategies adopted by Thomas Hanna in order to legitimate Somatics - as well as his own method - in the eyes of the scientific community. The notion of soma and the representations of its functions will be recognized at the core of this issue. In order to stress the enduring risk of dogmatism of the scientific rhetoric to our days, as well as their influence on the configuration of somatic discourses, I will be mainly referring to Isabelle Ginot's radical epistemology and Martha Eddy's critical perspective

Presenze competenti. Approcci somatici al gesto e dispositivi partecipativi nelle creazioni di Frédéric Gies e di Virgilio Sieni

Dance (Praticable) (2005-2008) by Frédéric Gies and Pinocchio - leggermente diverso (2013-2015) by Virgilio Sieni are contemporary dance projects relying on methods of transmission and composition based on, or influenced by, somatic practices. Such practices are defined as those aiming at enhancing bodily and gestural awareness by focusing on the movers’ subjective and inter-subjective experience. Through these two case studies it is considered how these compositional processes can express potentially anti-conventional instances concerning the quality of the performer’s presence as well as the final structure of the piece. Having such intentions in mind, the artists induced what we call an intuitive adherence between their gesture and thought (Cveijć in Gies 2008b), and subsequently turned their works into participatory dispositives. It is thus possible to disempower some categories opposing “professionism”, “non-professionism” or “amateurism”, “ability”, and “disability” by considering each participant from the perspective of their competences; besides, such choreographic practices are not exempt from the possibility of endorsing normative approaches or applications.Dance (Praticable) (2005-2008) di Frédéric Gies e Pinocchio - leggermente diverso (2013-2015) di Virgilio Sieni si basano su metodi di trasmissione e di composizione mutuati o influenzati dalle pratiche somatiche, volte all’educazione alla consapevolezza corporea e al movimento ponendo attenzione all’esperienza soggettiva e inter-soggettiva degli stessi. Un’analisi delle due pièce permette di valutare come questi processi di composizione esprimano potenziali anti-convenzionali per quanto riguarda la qualità della presenza del performer e le strutture finali delle opere, in specie promuovendo una aderenza intuitiva tra gesto e pensiero (Cveijć in Gies 2008b) e trasformandole in dispositivi partecipativi. Se, da un lato, è qui possibile depotenziare le categorie che oppongono “professionismo” e “amatorialità”, abilità e disabilità, permettendo una lettura di tutti i partecipanti dal punto di vista delle competenze, si vedrà come queste pratiche non siano esenti da possibili normalizzazioni

«To be renewed again». Esperienze di butō in Europa: Yvonne Pouget, Imre Thormann e Xavier Le Roy

Il termine «eresia europea», attribuito dal danzatore Kasai Akira al butō, non denota solo un fenomeno storico ed estetico. Vale a rintracciare ancor più oggi, ad ampio spettro, la necessità di adeguare i modelli di corporeità e soggettività «occidentali» a cambiamenti profondi nella società e nella cultura. In seno al contesto euro-americano, questa necessità produce talvolta punti di contatto tra ricerche apparentemente distanti, in primo luogo dal Sol Levante. Il volume si ripropone di aggiornare l'indagine sul butō nel campo delle arti performative da questa prospettiva, evidenziando lo statuto peculiare che gli compete. L'analisi verte sulla specificità del lavoro corporeo, che confrontiamo con altre esperienze del suo contesto di nascita, dall'avanguardia artistica del Novecento alla filosofia dell'azione di Mishima Yukio. Diversi nodi concettuali vengono intrecciati così come testimonianze dirette di artisti, avvicinando sovente i Somatic Studies, in vista di un abbozzo interpretativo che meglio si adatti alle dinamiche attuali del butō. Ad oggi la danza delle tenebre (ankoku butō) indica ancora un nucleo ideologico e operativo condiviso. Ciò comporta che si giunga anche a sovvertire gli stilemi sviluppati dai maestri proprio in virtù di una «riappropriazione poetica» dell'identità quale essi ricercarono e promossero. Di qui, artisti come Yvonne Pouget e Imre Thormann propongono metodi di allenamento, estetiche e produzioni che smarcano il lavoro del performer da riduzioni di tipo orientalista. Nel lavoro di Xavier Le Roy sul fenomeno è infine espressa una tensione complementare, vale a dire una possibile modalità di dialogo drammaturgico con il butō da parte di altre tendenze ad esso esterne, nel ripensare lo spettacolare e la figura del performer. The term «European heresy», ascribed to butō by the dancer Kasai Akira, doesn't denote an only historical and aesthetic phenomenon. It traces, today and in a broader-spectrum, a necessity to adapt «occidental» corporeality and subjectivity models to the recent deep changes in society and culture. Within the Euro-american context, this necessity sometimes produces connections among seamingly far off researches, even not in regards to Japan. This essay aims to offer a supplement to butō analysis in the Performing Art field by this perspective, underlining its own peculiar constitution. The focus lies on its specific bodily and training concerns, which are compared with other experiences from the milieu where it was born, as the 20th century Avant-garde Art and the Philosophy of Action by Mishima Yukio. Different concepts and direct accounts from artists are interlaced, approaching the Somatic Studies, in order to develop an outline for a more effective interpretation of topical dynamics in butō. At present, the Dance of Darkness (ankoku butō) still represents a common ideological and effective core. This also involves a subversion of the style patterns inherited from the masters just in the name of a «poetical reappropriation» of identity for the Self, equal to the one they seeeked for and promoted. Thus, artists as Yvonne Pouget and Imre Thormann bring some training methods, aestethics and productions detaching from an orientalistic semplification. Xavier Le Roy's work on this phenomenon eventually shows a complementary strain, or an operational confrontation in dramaturgy regarding butō from external trends, on spectacular parameters and conceptions over the performer

RIS3 in macro-regional strategies: tools to design and monitor integrated territorial development paths

This paper highlights the importance of combining quantitative and qualitative analyses . It combines multidimensional analysis of the characteristics of EU macro-regions with a comparative, qualitative perspective on priorities outlined in regional innovation strategies. It shows that bottom-up strategies for regions can support integrated approaches, and that the RIS3 database in particular can help with the successful design and implementation of policie

Figurations of Presence. Corporeal Aesthetics, Gestural practices, and Ecologies of Affects in the Performative Contemporary Scene

Dès les années 2000 à aujourd’hui, la présence est au cœur d’un nouvel intérêt théorique. Cette thèse porte sur les recherches en arts vivants et sur des créations récentes à la lumière des enjeux corporels, perceptifs et théoriques résonnant avec ce concept. Les définitions courantes sont relues et intégrées, dans une approche phénoménologique, par l’analyse du geste dansé, l’épistémologie des pratiques somatiques, l’écologie des pratiques (Stengers 2005) et une pensée politique sur les affects (Massumi 1995 ; 2015). Dans la première partie on articule cette approche en fonction d’un regard critique sur les discours théoriques, qu’on met en dialogue avec notre corpus d’œuvres théâtrales et chorégraphiques. Ici on considère, parmi d’autres pièces, Il principe Amleto du metteur en scène et comédien italien Danio Manfredini. La seconde partie rassemble les analyses d’Ouverture Alcina, monologue de la Compagnie italienne Teatro delle Albe ; de récentes créations chorégraphiques de Virgilio Sieni ; de la pièce Déperdition, crée par Myriam Gourfink et d’une reprise de Self Unfinished de Xavier Le Roy dans le cadre du projet « Rétrospective ». Chaque analyse porte sur le travail physique et perceptif de l’interprète, en considérant les processus de création et d’apprentissage, et sur le rapport entre œuvre et milieu de production et de circulation. Ainsi, l’expérience personnelle de spectatrice-chercheuse et la centralité du regard se mettent en avant. Il en résulte une perspective épistémologique sur les pratiques de la présence, entendues comme pratiques performatives, et sur les figurations de la présence, à savoir les effets perceptifs et affectifs de la performance.Dagli anni Duemila a oggi, la presenza è una nozione al centro di un rinnovato interesse teorico. Questo studio affronta tali ricerche e alcune creazioni recenti alla luce degli aspetti corporei, percettivi e teorici risonanti con essa. Le attuali definizioni sono rilette e integrate, in una cornice fenomenologica, con strumenti quali l’analisi del gesto danzato, l’epistemologia delle pratiche somatiche, l’ecologia delle pratiche (Stengers 2005) e un pensiero politico sugli affetti (Massumi 1995; 2015). Nella prima parte tale impianto viene definito in funzione di uno sguardo critico sui discorsi teorici, messi in dialogo il nostro corpus di opere teatrali e coreografiche, in cui troviamo Il Principe Amleto del regista e attore italiano Danio Manfredini. Nella seconda parte si sviluppano le analisi di Ouverture Alcina, monologo della compagnia italiana Teatro delle Albe; della recente produzione coreografica di Virgilio Sieni; della pièce Déperdition della coreografa e danzatrice Myriam Gourfink e della ripresa della performance Self Unfinished di Xavier Le Roy nell’ambito del progetto « Rétrospective ». L’analisi mette in luce il lavoro fisico e di percezione dell’interprete, valutando i processi di composizione o di trasmissione, e si sofferma sul rapporto dell’opera con il suo contesto di produzione e circolazione. In tale prospettiva emergono l’esperienza personale nel ruolo di spettatrice-teorica e in particolare la centralità dello sguardo. Ne risulta uno studio epistemologico sulle pratiche della presenza, intese come pratiche performative, e sulle figurazioni della presenza, ovvero gli effetti percettivi e affettivi della performance.Since the early 2000s, the concept of presence is at the core of a renewed interest in the performing arts field. This dissertation reviews recent theoretical debates and explores theatrical and choreographic works resonating with the corporeal and aesthetic qualities associated with this notion. Within a phenomenological framework, current definitions are reconsidered through the lenses of dance gesture analysis, expanding on the epistemology of somatic practices, the ecology of practices (Stengers 2005), and political focus on affects (Massumi 1995; 2015). The academic discourses are also examined through a brief outlook of the works, including Il Principe Amleto – a piece by Italian actor and stage director Danio Manfredini. The pieces considered in the second part of the dissertation include Ouverture Alcina, a monologue by the Italian theatre company Teatro delle Albe; recent projects by Italian choreographer Virgilio Sieni; a dance performance entitled Déperdition, by French artist Myriam Gourfink; and a recent rerun of Xavier Le Roy’s Self Unfinished within his project « Rétrospective ». Each analysis emphasizes the physical and perceptive work of the performers and considers the artist’s creative process, as well as the relation between the pieces and their broader staging context. In addition, the personal experience of the scholar/spectator is given prominence, as well as of her gaze. The resulting investigation is thus fundamentally epistemological, focusing at once on practices of presence – understood as performative in nature –, and on figurations of presence, the perceptive and affective implications of performance

A Novel HPLC Method for the Concurrent Analysis and Quantitation of Seven Water-Soluble Vitamins in Biological Fluids (Plasma and Urine): A Validation Study and Application

An HPLC method was developed and validated for the concurrent detection and quantitation of seven water-soluble vitamins (C, B1, B2, B5, B6, B9, B12) in biological matrices (plasma and urine). Separation was achieved at 30°C on a reversed-phase C18-A column using combined isocratic and linear gradient elution with a mobile phase consisting of 0.01% TFA aqueous and 100% methanol. Total run time was 35 minutes. Detection was performed with diode array set at 280 nm. Each vitamin was quantitatively determined at its maximum wavelength. Spectral comparison was used for peak identification in real samples (24 plasma and urine samples from abstinent alcohol-dependent males). Interday and intraday precision were <4% and <7%, respectively, for all vitamins. Recovery percentages ranged from 93% to 100%

Removing Polymeric Coatings With Nanostructured Fluids: Influence of Substrate, Nature of the Film, and Application Methodology

Cleaning is one of the most important and delicate operations in the conservation of cultural heritage, and, if not correctly performed, may irreversibly damage works of art. The removal of aged or detrimental polymeric coatings from works of art is a common operation in conservation, and nanostructured fluids (NSFs), such as aqueous swollen micelles and oil-in-water (o/w) microemulsions, are used as an alternative to non-confined organic solvents that pose a series of non-negligible drawbacks. NSFs effectiveness in removing polymeric coatings has been thoroughly demonstrated in the last decades, while their cleaning mechanism is still under investigation. The present work deepens the knowledge on the removal mechanisms of NSFs, studying the interaction of a four-component NSF with four different types of acrylic and vinyl polymer films cast from solutions or aqueous polymer latexes on three substrates (glass, marble and polystyrene) with different hydrophilicity and wettability. NSFs were applied either as non-confined or confined in cellulose poultices (traditionally employed by conservators), or in highly retentive chemical gels, observing the influence of the confining matrix on the removal process. It was found that the NSF/polymer film interaction is greatly dependent on the film structure and composition. Films formed from solvent solutions can be swollen by water/organic solvents mixtures or dewetted when a surfactant is added to the cleaning fluid; films formed from polymer latexes, on the other hand, are generally swollen even just by water alone, but poorly dewet. The substrate also plays an important role in the removal of polymer films formed from solutions, for instance the removal of an acrylic polymer from polystyrene could be achieved only through highly selective cleaning using NSF-loaded chemical hydrogels. These results can be key for conservators, providing innovative solutions to face new challenges in art preservation