Dance Chronicles from Athens: Artistic Practices, Structures & Discourses in a Period of Crisis

What does it mean to be an artist in a period of crisis? This thesis examines how an artistic scene operates during times of crisis through specific case studies. In particular, it explores contemporary dance in Athens from 2008 – when an extended period of financial and sociopolitical turbulence erupted – until 2016, focusing on the history and transformation of existing infrastructures and government policies during this period and new practices, structures and discourses that have emerged in response to this changing context.

Through the deployment of anecdote as an explicit methodology, the thesis discusses: key terms shaping recent understandings of contemporary culture including: crisis, neoliberalism, debt and precarity.

Discourses in a Period of Crisis

This thesis examines how an artistic scene operates during times of crisis through specific case studies. In particular, it explores contemporary dance in Athens. Established institutions, policies and discourses that have shaped the local dance culture. Emerging artistic initiatives and collaborative production modes.

Forms of infrastructure that arise in between official institutions and grassroots’ initiatives.
Through the deployment of anecdote as an explicit methodology, the thesis discusses: key terms shaping recent understandings of contemporary culture including: crisis, neoliberalism, debt and precarity.

Whilst exploring the specifics of the Greek context, this thesis is part of and contributes to the wider debate in the performing arts about the role of the artist in neoliberalism.