“When I Dance, I Feel the Earth Under my Feet”: Aesthetics and Material Culture in Swiss Neo-Spiritual Dances
This article presents findings from a Switzerland-based research project on neo-spiritual dances—practices that combine mindful bodily movement with spiritual sensitivity, a quest for well-being and personal growth, focusing on self-optimization, healing and transformative experiences. It maps out t...
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| Medienart: | Elektronisch Aufsatz |
| Sprache: | Englisch |
| Verfügbarkeit prüfen: | HBZ Gateway |
| Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
| Veröffentlicht: |
2025
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| In: |
Material religion
Jahr: 2025, Band: 21, Heft: 1, Seiten: 30-52 |
| weitere Schlagwörter: | B
Agency
B Corporeality B material forms B dance practices B neo-spirituality B Aesthetics B moving bodies B Embodiment B somatics |
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Volltext (kostenfrei) |
| Zusammenfassung: | This article presents findings from a Switzerland-based research project on neo-spiritual dances—practices that combine mindful bodily movement with spiritual sensitivity, a quest for well-being and personal growth, focusing on self-optimization, healing and transformative experiences. It maps out trends and analyzes the interplay between materiality, spirituality, and corporeality. Despite the global rise of neo-spiritual dances, they have rarely been the focus of ethnographic research. Based on participant observation, qualitative interviews, and analysis of online content, this article aims to shed light on the Swiss dancing scene. It raises questions about how material forms shape aesthetics, perceptions, and emotional-embodied intensity. The study also analyzes verbal discourses that connect corporeality with its social environment. Following a theoretical section on the material turn and methods in fields involving movement and embodiment, the article explores in finer critical detail the concepts of neo-spirituality and corporeality. Drawing on empirical data it finally discusses the roles, impacts and agency of material forms. |
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| ISSN: | 1751-8342 |
| Enthält: | Enthalten in: Material religion
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| Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1080/17432200.2024.2418217 |
