Sixth Sense of the Avant-Garde: Dance, Kinaesthesia and the Arts in Revolutionary Russia

The book explores the significance of movement and the sense of movement to pioneers of modernism at the turn of the 20th century, using a picture of movement in the lives of Russian artists, writers, theatre people, and dancers. It offers a new perspective on the relation between art and life in the period 1890-1920, highlighting the importance of movement in idealistic creativity and hopes for a new age.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 232 pages
Publication date: 13 December 2018
Publisher: Bloomsbury Publishing PLC

Movement and the sense of movement were crucial to pioneers of modernism at the turn of the 20th century, and this book brings this history to life through a vivid picture of movement in the lives of an extraordinary generation of Russian artists, writers, theatre people, and dancers. Readers will gain a new perspective on the relation between art and life in the period 1890-1920 in great innovators like the poets Mayakovsky and Andrei Bely, the theatre director Meyerhold, the dancer Isadora Duncan, and the young men and women in Russia inspired by her lead, as well as esoteric figures like Gurdjieff.

At the turn of the 20th century, movement and the sense of movement were central to the creative endeavors of pioneers of modernism. This book vividly captures this history through the lives of an extraordinary generation of Russian artists, writers, theatre people, and dancers who bridged the last years of the tsars and the Revolution. Readers will gain a fresh perspective on the relationship between art and life during this period, particularly in the works of great innovators such as the poets Mayakovsky and Andrei Bely, the theatre director Meyerhold, the dancer Isadora Duncan, and the young men and women in Russia who were inspired by her lead. Additionally, the book explores the significance of movement and the body as a source of natural knowledge in idealistic creativity and hopes for a new age, for a 'new man.' This was true for both those who looked forward to the technology of the future and those who looked back to the harmony of Ancient Greece.

The book skillfully weaves history and analysis into a captivating and thoughtful affirmation of movement in the expressive life. It highlights the importance of movement in shaping artistic expression and the pursuit of a more authentic and holistic way of living. Through its exploration of the lives and works of these remarkable individuals, the book invites readers to consider the role of movement in their own lives and the potential for creativity and transformation that lies within the body.

Weight: 306g
Dimension: 140 x 215 x 17 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781350087408