Dramaturgy as litany

This chapter explores the possibilities of narrative in choreography and dance as a nonfiction art form. If dramaturgy is going to depend on the body for some of the direction of the work, then embodiment becomes a tool. If dramaturgy supports decision-making, then we will spend a lot of time in the unknown where investigation and assignments provide fodder and possibility. If dramaturgy ultimately supports the audience’s experience, then being able to handle the competing loyalties of any given work is a critical skill. If dramaturgy sustains the ongoing nature of making something, then staying open to influence is one of its functions. The Critical Response Process started as a means of giving and getting feedback on works in progress, and through its wide use in dance, theatre, and other disciplines, it continues to prove itself for that purpose.