Improvisation in choreography

This article discusses the relationship between choreography and improvisation, both in the context of the denotation of these two terms and the creative activities that they describe. While of key importance for the phenomenon of dance, both notions remain vague and are frequently presented as contradictory. Adopting an alternative perspective, this paper, firstly, offers an overview of the historical contexts that have shaped the contemporary forms of performance dance as well as non-European contexts. Thus, it provides the basis for exploring the extent to which the assumptions and ideas of improvisation (developed primarily in the second half of the 20th century in the United States) have been updated in contemporary practices. Secondly, the article analyses the relationship between improvisation and choreography. It is studied in terms of creative strategies employed throughout the production process, with a particular emphasis on the participants’ agency. Seeking to avoid value judgements and inaccurate labels, the author proposes a more frequent use of other terms such as a ‘dance artist’ and verbal nouns such as ‘choreographing’ and ‘improvising’