Sally Banes

Sally Banes (1950-2020) was an American dance historian, critic, and scholar who specialized in dance and performance studies. She made significant contributions to dance scholarship through her extensive writings on postmodern dance, particularly focusing on the Judson Dance Theater movement of the 1960s. As a professor at multiple institutions, including the University of Wisconsin-Madison and New York University, Banes produced influential works such as "Terpsichore in Sneakers: Post-Modern Dance" (1980) and "Democracy's Body: Judson Dance Theater 1962-1964" (1983). These texts became foundational reading in dance studies programs worldwide. Her research expanded beyond contemporary dance to encompass breakdancing, social dance forms, and the cultural context of dance in society. Banes' work "Writing Dancing in the Age of Postmodernism" (1994) demonstrated her ability to connect dance criticism with broader cultural theory and analysis. Through her writing and teaching career, Banes received numerous accolades, including Guggenheim and Mellon fellowships. Her methodological approach combined historical research, movement analysis, and cultural criticism to create comprehensive examinations of dance in its social and artistic contexts.

Readers value Banes' detailed research and her ability to make complex dance theory accessible. Students and dance practitioners note her clear explanations of postmodern dance concepts and thorough documentation of the Judson Dance Theater era. What readers liked: - Clear writing style that explains technical concepts - Comprehensive historical documentation - Inclusion of first-hand accounts and interviews - Strong analytical framework for understanding dance movements What readers disliked: - Dense academic language in some sections - High price point of textbooks - Limited visual documentation/photographs - Some repetition between works Ratings across platforms: Goodreads: - Terpsichore in Sneakers: 4.2/5 (89 ratings) - Democracy's Body: 4.1/5 (67 ratings) - Writing Dancing: 4.0/5 (42 ratings) Amazon: - Terpsichore in Sneakers: 4.5/5 (15 reviews) - Democracy's Body: 4.3/5 (8 reviews) One dance student noted: "Banes presents complex ideas about postmodernism without getting lost in jargon." A choreographer commented: "Her research on Judson Dance Theater preserves crucial documentation of that period."

Democracy's Body: Judson Dance Theater, 1962-1964 (1983) A historical study examining the experimental dance collective Judson Dance Theater and its role in postmodern dance development.

Terpsichore in Sneakers: Post-Modern Dance (1987) An analysis of key postmodern choreographers and their work from the 1960s through the early 1980s.

Writing Dancing in the Age of Postmodernism (1994) A collection of essays exploring dance criticism and theory during the postmodern era.

Greenwich Village 1963: Avant-Garde Performance and the Effervescent Body (1993) An examination of the avant-garde performance scene in Greenwich Village during a pivotal year of artistic innovation.

Dancing Women: Female Bodies on Stage (1998) A feminist analysis of how women's bodies have been represented in Western theatrical dance from ballet to modern dance.

Before, Between, and Beyond: Three Decades of Dance Writing (2007) A compilation of Banes' dance criticism and scholarly articles spanning her career from the 1970s to the 2000s.

Reinventing Dance in the 1960s: Everything Was Possible (2003) A historical account of how American dance underwent radical transformation during the 1960s.

Soviet Choreographers in the 1920s (1985) An investigation of experimental dance in the Soviet Union during the 1920s, focusing on key choreographers and movements.

Marcia Siegel analyzes dance through sociocultural and historical contexts, focusing on modern and postmodern choreography. Her writing style combines detailed performance analysis with examination of broader cultural movements and artistic philosophies.

Susan Foster specializes in dance theory and choreographic analysis, with emphasis on how bodies create meaning through movement. She examines dance through frameworks of gender, politics, and cultural studies.

Ann Daly writes about feminist perspectives in dance history and criticism, particularly focusing on modern dance pioneers. Her work connects dance analysis to broader cultural theories and social movements.

Nancy Reynolds documents ballet history through first-hand accounts and extensive archival research. She concentrates on the technical evolution of dance forms and the contributions of specific choreographers and performers.

Joan Acocella covers dance criticism and cultural history with focus on both classical and contemporary forms. Her writing connects dance to other art forms while examining the cultural contexts that shape choreographic development.