Conceptualization of dancers’ corporeality through the prism of phenomenology

Abstract

The article presents a theoretical conceptualization of dancers’ corporeality in the context of arts education through the lens of a phenomenological approach. The relevance of the study is driven by the need to rethink educational processes in choreography, where, alongside cognitive components, the bodily, emotional, and sensory dimensions of experience play a vital role. The purpose of the study is to substantiate a holistic approach to understanding corporeality as a fundamental factor in the professional training of dancers. The research methodology is based on the phenomenological approach, which involves analyzing experience in its immediate givenness, as well as on the principles of intentionality of consciousness, phenomenological reduction, and the embodiment approach. An interdisciplinary approach is employed, combining philosophical, pedagogical, and art studies analysis. The scientific novelty lies in the fact that this is the first instance in national scientific discourse of a comprehensive analysis of bodily experience in arts education through the prism of phenomenology, substantiating it as a multidimensional phenomenon that integrates cognitive, emotional, and sensory components. The paper explores the philosophical foundations of the phenomenology of bodily experience and outlines the evolution of concepts of corporeality from classical rationalist theories to contemporary embodiment approaches. Particular attention is paid to the ideas of Maurice Merleau-Ponty regarding the body as an active medium of human interaction with the world. It is substantiated that bodily experience in choreographic education is formed through movement, rhythm, spatial interactions, and affective states, serving as the basis for meaning-making. The significance of intersubjectivity and intercorporeal interaction in the process of arts education is identified, where experience emerges as a result of shared activity and mutual переживання. It is demonstrated that aesthetic experience has a holistic character and combines sensory, emotional, and intellectual components. It is concluded that the integration of bodily, affective, and cognitive dimensions of bodily experience contributes to the formation of a holistic and creative personality of the future artist. This opens up new perspectives for pedagogical practices, teaching methodologies, the development of sensitivity, reflection, creativity, and a deeper awareness of corporeality in contemporary art.