Deconstructing giftedness: A relational analysis of the make-up of talent in theatrical dance
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: This article embarks on a sociological explanation of the genesis of talent as an embodied experience and as bodily hexis generated within a system of social and aesthetic relations which are characterised by symbolic oppositions. Using Bourdieu’s theory of artistic production, I argue that talent in theatrical dance constitutes an ideal type materialised through the construction of the dancing body as a site of excellence, only possible through access to specific forms of capital. Drawing on historical and contemporary empirical material to conceptualise talent in dance, the article critiques the notion of talent as an innate gift, contending that virtuoso physical performance is a product of history and practice and acquires meaning within such conditions of engagement.
Source: The Sociological Review
Author: Lito Tsitsou
Institution: University of Glasgow
Language: English
Topic: Social and Cultural Dynamics
Subfield: Sociology and Political Science
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $3,700
OpenAlex ID: W4403217002