A reflection on Somatics, its relationship with dance and its development in Brazil

Abstract

This article introduces reflections on Somatics and its emergence at the turn of the twentieth century among the Body Culture movement in association with modern dance, in opposition to the scientific dualism that separates mind and body. We also reflect upon the blooming of Somatics following the paradigm shift brought about by phenomenology and neurophenomenology. They all produced an extensive scope of research and arrived to the conclusion that the mind is corporealized. Somatics in Brazil gained notoriety from the 1960s on, mainly if we consider the seminal work of Brazilian dancers Klauss and Angel Vianna. Mostly connected to dance, Somatics in Brazil entered private dance schools, dance festivals and later on it penetrated universities, in both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Initiated by Thomas Hanna in the 1970s, the scholarly new paradigm brought by Somatics broadens the use of the term and allows this movement to be recognized as a field of study. To conclude, we articulate Somatics’ new developments towards the new social and political agendas within contemporary culture.