DRAFT ONLY

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What Is "Performance Studies" Anyway? Richard Schechner The sidewinder rattlesnake moves across the desert floor by contracting and e tending itself in a sideways motion! Wherever this beautiful re"tile "oints it is not going there! Such indirection is characteristic of "erformance studies! This area field disci"line often "lays what it is not# tricking those who want to fi it# frightening some# amusing others# astounding a few as it sidewinds its way across the deserts of academia! $a""ing the %ield In &'(( I "ublished in T)R "A""roaches to Theory*+riticism#" a formulation of an area of study that I called "the "erformance activities of man" ,sic-. Play# games# s"orts# theatre# and ritual /&'((.012034! These activities were ""rimeval#" that is without "rior origins or derivations! In &'15 I "ublished in Theatre 6uarterly "Actuals#" the fruit of my &'(5s thinking about ritual in non2Western cultures and contem"orary avantgarde "erformance# the basis for what I later called the "broad s"ectrum a""roach"22"erformance studies as an intersection of "ractices# writing# data# and theories from social*cultural anthro"ology# ethnogra"hy# "re2 history# ritual studies# theatre studies# semiotics# and both the historical and current avantgarde! In "Actuals" I referred to the Tiwi of $icronesia and the shamans of Siberia7 I discussed Australian Aborigine initiation rites# a 8ew 9uinea cycle "lay# and avantgarde "erformances ranging from the 9rotowski# the :iving Theatre# and The Performance 9rou" to Allan ;a"row<s =a""enings and Ral"h >rti?<s blood ritual# The Sky Is %alling! %or the first time# I used the term ""erformance theory" to describe my ideas! "Actuals" was an attem"t to theori?e materials I intuitively felt belonged together! It was the basis for what I later called the "broad s"ectrum a""roach"22"erformance studies as an intersection of "ractices# writing# data# and theories from social*cultural anthro"ology# ethnogra"hy# "re2 history# ritual studies# theatre studies# and both the historical and current avantgarde! In &'1@# I guest2edited a s"ecial issue of T)R# "Theatre and the Social Sciences#" "robably the first "erformance studies collection! Articles and interviews dealt with "erformance theory# kinesics# community art as life "rocess# Peter Arook<s Bourney through Africa# theatre as thera"y# the Caster Passion Play of the DaEuis# and avantgarde "erformance! In the "Introduction" to this s"ecial issue of T)R# I wrote. ,!!!- "erformance is a kind of communicative behavior that is "art of# or continuous with# more formal ritual ceremonies# "ublic gatherings# and various means of e changing

information# goods# and customs! ,!!!- I believe there are seven key areas where "erformance theory and the social sciences coincide ,!!!-. &! Performance in everyday life# including 0! The structure of s"orts# ritual# "lay# and behaviors! @! Analysis of various modes of communication word47 semiotics! F! +onnections between human and animal behavior "atterns with an em"hasis on "lay and G! As"ects of "sychothera"y that em"hasi?e "erson2 acting out# and body awareness! (! Cthnogra"hy and "rehistory22both of e otic and familiar cultures! 1! +onstruction of unified theories of in fact# theories of behavior! ,!!!"erformance# which are rituali?ed behavior! to2"erson interaction# gatherings of every kind! "ublic "olitical /other than the written

I "ro"ose that "erformance theory deal e clusively and coherently with the seven areas as outlined! This field could combine as"ects of the "scientific method" with some of the traditional intuitive methods of the arts! This combination of means is suitable today for both the social sciences and the arts! This is because we are currently witnessing a convergence marked by increasingly analytic methods in the arts and increasingly intuitive methods in the social sciences /&'1@.@2F4! In &'1( I co2edited with $ady Schuman Ritual# Play# and Performance# an anthology whose table of contents marked the "arameters of "the field" as I then saw it! There were sections devoted to Cthology# Play# Ritual and Performance in Cveryday :ife# Shamanism# Trance# and $editation# and Rites# +eremonies# and Performances! +ontributors included ;onrad :oren?# Hane 9oodall# Hohan =ui?inga# Hane Aelo# Ray Airdwhistell# Turner# 9offman# :evi2Strauss#

Aateson# and 9rotowski! In &'1(# too# I first met Iictor Turner face2to2face# kicking off a dee" collaboration that continued to Turner<s death in &'3@! In &'11 my Cssays on Performance Theory was "ublished /revised and reissued in &'33 as Performance Theory4! In Cssays I wrote. Performance is a very inclusive notion of action7 theatre is only one node on a continuum that reaches from rituali?ation in animal behavior /including humans4 through "erformances in everyday life22greetings# dis"lays of emotion# family scenes# and so on22to rites# ceremonies and "erformances large2scale theatrical events /&'11.&4! I cite myself because the ideas I chewed on in classes# theatre "roductions# lectures# and conversations were motors driving what was to become ""erformance studies!" I did not work alone! Cven as I was seeking out like2minded "eo"le# they were looking for me! >ddballs all# we o"erated against the resistance of our own disci"lines7 we were tricky# charismatic# dangerous# "layful! In the s"ring of &'1'# the very first "Performance Theory" course at 8DJ was offered in what was still nominally the 9raduate )rama )e"artment of the 8DJ School of the Arts! The flyer announcing the course "roclaimed. :eading American and world figures in the "erforming arts and the social sciences will discuss the relationshi" between social anthro"ology# "sychology# semiotics# and the "erforming arts! The course e amines theater and dance in Western and non2Western cultures# ranging form the avant2 garde to traditional# ritual# and "o"ular forms! The "visiting faculty" for Performance Theory was Ale ander Alland# Paul Aouissac# Her?y 9rotowski# )onald ;a"lan# Hoann W! ;ealinohomoku# Aarbara $yerhoff# Herome Rothenberg# SEuat Theatre# and Iictor Turner! =ere# "ossibly for the first time together were anthro"ologists# a %reudian "sychoanalyst# a

semiotician s"eciali?ing in "lay and circus# a dance scholar# a "oet and scholar of oral cultures and shamanism# and leading e "erimental theatre artists! The graduate assistant for the course was Sally Aanes! >ver the ne t three years# Performance Theory counted among its visiting faculty +lifford 9eert?# $asao Damaguchi# Alfonso >rti?# Crving 9offman# Cugenio Aarba# Steve Pa ton# Hoanne Akalaitis# Dvonne Rainer# $eredith $onk# Augusto Aoal# +olin Turnbull# Richard %oreman# Allan ;a"row# :inda $ontano# S"alding 9ray# :aurie Anderson# Peter Pit?ele# Arian Sutton2Smith# Ray Airdwhistell# Cdward T! =all# Hulie Taymor# Peter +helkowski! Iictor and Cdith Turner were freEuent "artici"ants! To"ics ranged from "Performing the Self" and "Play" to "Shamanism#" "+ultural and Intercultural Performance#" and "C "erimental Performance!" The visitors were reEuired not only to lecture or conduct a worksho" on $onday night but to stick around for an intense Euestion2and2answer session on Tuesday! $y Bob was to knit the "arts into coherent fabrics! 8DJ was generous during those years# both moneywise and in offering conce"tual s"ace for curricular e "erimentation! What was missing22I can see that now as clear as day22was feminist "erformance# "ost2structuralism# "sychoanalytic thought# the notion of the ""erformative#" and "o"ular entertainments such as tourist sites and theme "arks! These "illars of "erformance studies were brought to 8DJ by my colleagues Aarbara ;irshenblatt29imblett and Peggy Phelan! Aut I<ve Bum"ed ahead!

%rom Tulane to 8DJ >nce u"on a time there was a theatre de"artment at Tulane Jniversity! That was back in the &'G5s and &'(5s! Its longtime head was )r! $onroe :i""man# a man who could hate what you did while fiercely defending your right to do it! I got my Ph) in Theatre from Tulane in &'(0! $y dissertation director and mentor was Robert W! +orrigan# founding editor of T)R! When in &'(0 +orrigan left Tulane for greener "astures# :i""man offered me a Bob as assistant "rofessor and editor of T)R! +orrigan<s Bournal had a double focus# the emerging Curo"ean avantgarde /Aeckett# Ionesco# 9enet# Arrabal# and so on47 and the analysis of drama! I focused T)R on e "erimental and "olitical "erformance! Throughout the (5s I was increasingly interested in "erformance as behavior and not "lays2as2written2te ts! I wanted to a""ly to "erformances of every kind analytic and theoretical techniEues drawn from the social sciences! Also my "ractice as a theatre director fused with my work with The %ree Southern Theatre# as well as my e "eriences as a Bournalist and "olitical activist# to reform T)R into a "artisan rather than an "obBective academic" Bournal! At first T)R went one way# my teaching another! At Tulane# I taught more or less standard drama and theatre history courses for graduate students. +orrigan<s courses resha"ed! $y artistic work I did off cam"us# where I took "art in =a""enings and in the first environmental theatre "roductions! I got dee"ly involved in the %reedom $ovement and the movement against the Iietnam War! These e "eriences tuned me in to street actions# the "ower of

audience "artici"ation# and how "ermeable were the boundaries se"arating so2called actors from so2called s"ectators! I was also studying the theories of the "+ambridge Anthro"ologists#" a grou" of early twentieth century scholars led by Hane Cllen =arrison# %rancis +ornford# and 9ilbert $urray# who investigated the relationshi" between ancient 9reek theatre and ritual! They "ro"osed a "ritual origin" for theatre! Although e cited by their theories# I believed their su""osition about 9reek theatre was incom"lete and misdirected! Still I "icked u" on "anthro"ology" as a means to studying theatre22and# more broadly# "erformance! I became more and more drawn to "erformance in everyday life# rituals# the "erformances of "eo"les who were not "art of any named literature2based "great tradition"22mostly grou"s in 8ew 9uinea# Australia# and $icronesia! I read lots of ethnogra"hies! Hust as that work was beginning to congeal into something definite# the Tulane Theatre )e"artment blew u"! Tulane<s to" brass had long "romised to build :i""man a new theatre! =is de"artment was working in a converted World War II barracks with worse than bad facilities! %or years# the administration "ut :i""man off! I don<t know the "reci"itating event# but finally :i""man22who had been at Tulane since the &'@5s22Euit! In angry sym"athy# five of us resigned with :i""man! $eanwhile# Robert +orrigan22the Hohnny A""leseed of theatre "rograms22left +arnegie2$ellon for 8DJ where he "ersuaded President Hames =ester that the time was ri"e to begin an arts school to rival Hulliard# the Dale School of )rama# and +arnegie2$ellon! +orrigan argued that 8DJ already had a strong undergraduate film "rogram and a

graduate de"artment of drama and cinema that could be folded into the new School of the Arts! What was needed were graduate level "rofessional training "rograms for actors# designers# dancers# and filmmakers! =ester was aware that +olumbia Jniversity was considering starting its own "rofessional arts school! Part of 8DJ<s strategy was22as it continues to be22to com"ete with the Ivys and the strongest of the state schools! =ester bought +orrigan<s idea! +orrigan brought in H! $ichael $iller# a Tulane Ph)# and Ted =offman# the former head of +arnegie2$ellon<s theatre "rogram! When +orrigan got wind of the resignations at Tulane# he invited me# and T)R# to 8DJ to chair the )e"artment of )rama and +inema! Such work was neither my calling nor my wish# so I "ro"osed :i""man as chair! The deal was struck22:i""man and I began at 8DJ in the fall of &'(1! Tulane was ha""y to rid itself of me# T)R# and most of its "esky Theatre )e"artment! In &'(3# :i""man# with my strong agreement# hired Arooks $c8amara22an Iowa $A and Tulane Ph) /both like me4# a theatre designer# and a man "assionately interested in "o"ular entertainments! We three began resha"ing the )rama and +inema )e"artment! In &'15 we were Boined by one of our own Ph)s# $ichael ;irby! The )rama and +inema "rograms were s"lit in two! We were on our way! The mid to late (5s was hot in e "erimental theatre! In the fall of &'(1# 9rotowski made his first tri" to America# offering at 8DJ an intense four week worksho"! T)R was one of 9rotowski<s s"onsors and I took "art in his worksho"22from which was born Andre 9regory<s $anhattan ProBect and my Performance 9rou" /later

the Wooster 9rou"4! 9rotowski taught more than acting! =e showed how te tual montage# rigorous "sycho"hysical training# and ritual could be combined! =e "roved that a""arently very ancient "ractices were also avantgarde! $y e "eriences on the floor of Room F) confirmed and illuminated what I had been reading in the social sciences! Aut even as I was drawn to +laude :evi2Strauss# 9regory Aateson# Iictor Turner# and Crving 9offman# theatre studies were still mostly locked into drama and a strict construction of what constituted theatre history! When theatre "eo"le thought "non2Western" it was India# Ha"an# and +hina they thought about! Cven +hina was slighted until after 8i on<s &'10 tri"! C ce"t for anthro"ologists such as +lifford 9eert?# few if any theatre "eo"le studied or "racticed Havanese or Aalinese "erforming arts! The writings of Artaud were well known# but no one went to look for themselves! "Performance fieldwork" and "theatre anthro"ology" were not yet formulated!

Performance Studies At 8DJ In &'(3# +orrigan# after barely three years at 8DJ# folded his tent and hiked west to become the first President of the +alifornia Institute of the Arts! )avid >""enheim became dean of what was to become the Tisch School of the Arts! Jnlike +orrigan# >""enheim was in for the long haul# retiring in &'3' after 0& fruitful years as dean leading TS>A to the eminence it now enBoys! Aut the early years in the 9raduate )rama )e"artment were unsettled! After :i""man retired in T;# the )e"artment drifted administratively! The chair rotated /though some faculty

served more than one year4! =offman# +orrigan<s colleague from +arnegie2$ellon# and for a few years T)R<s Associate Cditor# was forced out as head of 8DJ<s graduate theatre "rogram and "arked in the )rama )e"artment! Aut if there was administrative wobble# there was conce"tual reach! The curriculum was beyond the "ale of other theatre de"artments! I was teaching courses in ritual and non2Western "erformance# $c8amara in "o"ular entertainments# while ;irby was develo"ing his documentary a""roach to theatre history and his own version of structuralism! Ay the end of the &'15s# we knew we weren<t teaching "drama" anymore or "theatre" in the ways it was taught elsewhere! So in &'35 we officially changed our name to Performance Studies! We were e "erimenting# but we weren<t collectively coherent! Cach of us was doing his own thing! Throughout the &'15s# I was "reoccu"ied with directing The Performance 9rou" and formulating "erformance theories! $c8amara was immersed in his work as curator of the Shubert Archives! ;irby was editing T)R# making "erformances with his Structuralist Worksho" and acting with the Wooster 9rou"! Ay &'35 it was clear we needed more than a new name# we needed strong# consistent leadershi"! Cnter Aarbara ;irshenblatt29imblett! A;9# as she is known by all# came to 8DJ from the )e"artment of %olklore and %olklife at the Jniversity of Pennsylvania! With a Ph) in folklore from Indiana Jniversity her far2ranging interests s"anned Hewish studies# museum dis"lays /from colonial e "ositions to living history museums4# tourist "erformances# and the aesthetics of everyday life! A;9 became chair in the s"ring term of &'3& and

remained in the "ost for &0 years! A;9 was truly the first chair of Performance Studies! Ay this I mean it was she who crafted a singular de"artment out of what had been dis"arate and sometimes Euirky interests and "ractices! She insisted on freEuent faculty meetings where we hashed out curriculum# degree reEuirements# entrance standards# Eualifying e ams# and lots more! She made certain that im"ortant decisions were debated until we reached consensus! She recruited faculty of Euality! She confabbed with deans# scholars in other de"artments# and 8DJ<s administration "utting Performance Studies on the ma" academically s"eaking! =er syllabi and reading lists were /and are4 models of e cellence7 her insistence on fulltime students working steadily towards their degrees "erforming at a high academic level transformed our "o"ulation7 her abilities to sEuee?e money out of rocks was nothing short of magic7 her energy was unfailing and ins"iring! A tireless organi?er# conference "artici"ant# keynote s"eaker# "erformance theorist# cheerleader# boss# and cook# A;9 often invited faculty and friends from different disci"lines to her s"acious loft /shared with her "ainter husband $a 9imblett4! There serious work was leavened with comradeshi" and easy2going conversation! We taught# wrote# lived# worked# and sociali?ed Performance Studies! In a word# A;9 whirled us into sha"e! What ha""ened during A;9<s tenure as chair was a congealing of dis"arate yet related tendencies into a "disci"line!" Those "racticing this disci"line studied an emergent field7 that field contained many areas! This e "anded sco"e meant a move away from theatre as the sole basis of "erformance studies both in terms of

curriculum and theory! Cven under A;9<s leadershi"# the mor"hing of 9raduate )rama into Performance Studies was not an "all at once" thing! )uring &'13235# the last year 8DJ had a 9raduate )rama )e"artment# many courses were orthodo 22e ce"t for "Alternative Theatre#" "Paratheatre#" "Semiotics of Performance#" "%estival and %olk Performance#" and "Ritual Theatre!" $ost of these courses were taught by $c8amara and me! Also at that time a rigorous curriculum in modern and "ostmodern dance was introduced! This "dance track" was carefully su"ervised by $arcia Siegel until her retirement in &''(! The mission statement in the &'35230 Aulletin# the first under the "Performance Studies" banner /but without A;9<s in"ut4# read# in "art. ,!!!- "erformance in cultural and social forms! ,!!!- The curriculum is organi?ed into si evolving areas of concentration. contem"orary "erformance# "erformance theory# dance# "o"ular "erformance# "erformance writing# and "erforming arts archives! >nce A;9 was aboard# this mission statement was revised and clarified! The &'3023F Aulletin "roclaimed. The )e"artment of Performance Studies offers a curriculum covering the full range of "erformance forms# from theatre and dance to ritual and "o"ular entertainment! ,!!!- A wide s"ectrum of "erformance traditions22for e am"le# "ostmodern dance# circus# ;athakali# Aroadway# ballet# shamanism22are documented using fieldwork# interviews# and archival research and are analy?ed from a variety of "ers"ectives! As a whole# the "rogram is both intercultural and

interdisci"linary# drawing on the arts# humanities# ,andsocial sciences! This mission statement is re"eated almost verbatim in all succeeding Aulletins# including the &''(2'1 edition! Starting in &'30# courses reflected the e "anded field as well as a clearer disci"linary focus! A reEuired "Issues in Performance Studies#" taught by A;9# took u" "key conce"ts# issues# a""roaches# and methods of the study of "erformance from cross2cultural# historical# and interdisci"linary "ers"ectives!" "Performance Theory#" with a different to"ic each term attem"ted to relate "contem"orary aesthetics and social theory to theatre "ractice!" >ther courses went from "Punk# Se # Rock# and Performance Art 8ow in 8ew Dork#" "Aroadway#" and ")irecting and )ramaturgy" to "Southeast Asian Performance#" a worksho" on "Aalinese To"eng $asked Performance#" "+ircus as a Performing Art#" "$ovement# Ritual# and +ulture#" ")ance +riticism#" "The Aallroom and the Stage22Social )ance and Po"ular Cntertainment#" and "Cthnic Performance!" Things remained more or less stable within that shifting universe of interests until the mid &'35s# when $arcia Siegel# Peggy Phelan# and $ichael Taussig Boined the de"artment! Siegel Boined the faculty in &'3@# Phelan as an adBunct in &'3G# and on a tenure2track line in &'31# and Taussig in &'33! Phelan was tenured and "romoted when she assumed the chair of Performance Studies in &''F# a Bob she held through the s"ring of &''1! Taussig left for the anthro"ology de"artment of +olumbia Jniversity in &''@! Siegel sto""ed teaching at 8DJ in &''(! The

im"act of Siegel# Phelan# and Taussig was immediate# am"lified by new courses from A;9 in "Tourist Productions" and "The Aesthetics of Cveryday :ife!" Siegel develo"ed and led the work in dance# em"hasi?ing movement analysis# critical writing# and dance history! Taussig taught such things as "Shamanism and Tragedy#" "The Aody in Shock#" "The $agic of the State#" and "+ommodity %etishism and $ontage!" =is style of teaching was also im"ortant! =e rambled# he digressed# he interrogated! Phelan<s work in feminism and :acanian "sychoanalysis were reflected in such courses as "9ender and Performance#" "Im"risonment and the )ramatic Imagination#" and "Possession and Performance!" :ater# Phelan added courses in autobiogra"hy# "sychoanalysis# and se uality on stage! 9uest faculty included Sue2Cllen +ase# ;ate )avy# =olly =ughes# and )eb $argolin +=C+; AJ::CTI8S K CLPA8)*RC%I8C :IST! The new faculty was driving "erformance studies in strongly theori?ed and wide2ranging directions7 the older faculty res"onded well for the most "art! $y own teaching interests remained steady# centering around Asian "erformance /both in itself and com"ared to Western genres4# e "erimental theatre# and "erformance theory! Ay the late &'35s# it a""eared as if the field had "retty well been ma""ed out# if not by any means fully e "lored! =ow wrong that assum"tion "roved to be! We knew that we could not cover the whole range of what we collectively considered to be "erformance studies! What we wanted to do instead was offer some consistent methodological means for a""roaching what was a vast# almost unlimited field7 and to e "lore22according to each faculty member<s "assions and

interests22as"ects of the whole! This a""roach em"hasi?ed by e am"le the multivocality and "lurality of "erformance studies! It also meant a shifting subBect matter# the ongoing introduction of new courses# a careful selection of adBunct and visiting faculty! We took a cue from Iictor Turner<s admonition# "+ha"s# not ma"sM" which meant to develo" curriculum not according to an abstract theme# but crystalli?ed around a grou" of "eo"le who loved their work and to the greatest degree negotiable enBoyed working with each other! We wanted to form a "school" in the sense that the %rankfurt School or the Jniversity of +hicago<s +ommittee on Social Thought were schools. a scholarly community chewing over shared "roblems and materials# consciously advancing the borders of knowledge# taking intellectual chances22and "assionately# e "erientially involved in what they were doing! )uring the &'35s# students greatly hel"ed "erformance studies emerge as a de"artment and field! Aeginning in 8ovember* )ecember &'3&# a student2edited Performance Studies 8ewsletter was issued on a regular basis! In the Se"tember*>ctober &'30 8ewsletter# editor Hill )olan wrote. The Performance Studies )e"artment is the first "drama" de"artment to ste" beyond traditional forms and a""roaches to make the e amination of "erformance "ro"er the central concern! The literary# dramatic te t is but one "art of a com"le whole that includes mise2en2scene# acting styles# stage design and technology# and directing theory! +lassical theater forms are contrasted with "ost2modernism and "erformance art# as well as intercultural "erformances!

,!!!- +ourses in "erformance theory e "lore the conce"ts informing "articular genres of dance# theater# ritual# folklore# s"orts# "rocessions# and festivals /&'30.&4! In &'3G# Ann )aly<s 8ewsletter article was titled# "Inter2 generic# Inter2disci"linary# Inter2cultural# Inter2esting!" In her account of the end2of2term mini2conference emerging from A;9<s Issues in Performance Studies class /a model for the Performance Studies annual national conferences4# )aly wrote. In addition to establishing itself as an academic disci"line# Performance Studies stimulates "ractitioners to re2imagine their "rofessions and their methods! ,!!!- >ver the course of the conference# "resenters Euestioned whether Performance Studies could include the "erformative Eualities of a comic book# whether hiBacking a "lane is "erformance# whether Walt )isney<s "%antasia" is music video! =ow do funerals fit into the "erformance seEuence model? =ow do tennis and 8oh theatre com"are in "re"aration "rocess? +an the "residential debates be analy?ed as "erformance? What e actly is gay theatre? The "Issues" conference demonstrated the de"artments e "erimental a""roach. o"enness# fle ibility# rigorous thought# and a "reference for Euestioning# rather than acce"ting /&'3G.@4!

A Period of +hange In the late &'35s and continuing into the &''5s# changes in faculty and disci"linary focus accelerated! =offman retired in &'3T;# ;irby in &''&7 Siegel sto""ed teaching in &''(# and

$c8amara in &''1! $ay Hose"h# Aarbara Arowning# and Hose $uno? Boined the faculty in the &''5s! These younger faculty were less theatre or concert dance oriented than those who left or retired! Arowning<s Resistance in $otion /&''T;4 is a study of Ara?ilian samba "from the inside"22Arowning learned the dance and was ritually initiated as a sambaista! Hose"h teaches "ost2colonial theory and avantgarde "erformance! $uno?<s work is on Eueer theory and "erformativity! Taussig<s de"arture in &''@ and A;9<s ste""ing down as chair in &''F started a "eriod of instability! Hose"h Roach came and went after a single term as chair# but his brief "resence left an im"rint! Aecause he is both a "remier theatre historian and ade"t at cultural studies# he "romised to unite the two wings of the de"artment! )uring his brief chairshi" he initiated a "self2study" that had strong re"ercussions even after he left! J"on Roach<s de"arture# Phelan chaired from &''F to &''1! As of this writing /$arch &''14# )iana Taylor noted for her work on :atin American "erformance and "olitics is "oised to become chair! Also in the &''5s interest in African and Afro2American "erformance emerged within the de"artment! H! 8dukaku Amankulor Boined the faculty in &'T; teaching African "o"ular "erformance# mask2dance2theatre# and ritual "erformance! Suddenly and sadly# in &''G Amankulor died of a brain tumor! In &'T;# the +om"arative :iterature )e"artment recruited renowned novelist2"laywright2 activist 8gugi wa Thiongo<o who reEuested a Boint a""ointment to Performance Studies! Though not on a Performance Studies line# 8gugi teaches# "artici"ates in faculty meetings and colloEuia#

and advises Ph) students! =is courses center on orature22"song# dance# riddle# "roverb# tale# narrative# myth# etc!"22as the source of modern African theatre! 8gugi<s work links several tendencies in the de"artment. "ost2colonial studies# theatre# traditional and modern "erformance# and orality! What all the changes boil down to is that from about &''5 there has been a strong swing at 8DJ from being theatre2based towards something more theory2based! Some faculty focus on readings of gender# some on "olitics# some on behavior22 "erformance "itself!" )iverse or even scattered as the curriculum reads# interactions among faculty through colloEuia# "lanning courses# writing e am Euestions and collectively evaluating the answers# advising dissertations# and doing all faculty searches as a committee2of2the2whole actually shifts what each of us brings to the table! We actively seek connections and consensus! Students also are involved# with two "artici"ating in faculty meetings! As a graduate2only de"artment# some students and recent Ph)s occu"y intellectual "ositions as "almost faculty#" teaching adBunct courses either in Performance Studies or in 8DJ<s Jndergraduate )rama )e"artment! >ngoing debates within the de"artment continue around Euestions such as to what degree does "erformance studies de"end on live "erformance# is "erformance studies ""erformative" rather than "actually "erformance#" what is the "lace of theatre studies within "erformance studies# what se"arates "erformance studies from cultural studies? The ground continues to shift even as I write22some faculty lines remain o"en# and who fills them will further define the field as

"racticed by a very small de"artment of eight fulltime faculty /"lus 8gugi4!

Aeyond 8DJ Ay the mid2&''5s# the de"artment and the disci"line were inde"endent of each other! The disci"line of ""erformance studies" was by then successfully launched and flourishing in many different "laces in different ways! 8DJ faculty and graduates "ublish widely! 8DJ graduates are teaching all around the country! In &'3F 8orthwestern Jniversity established its )e"artment of Performance Studies! Starting in &''G# an annual Performance Studies +onference has drawn hundreds of "artici"ants from the JSA# +anada# :atin America# Curo"e# Africa# and Asia! T)R# "the Bournal of "erformance studies#" is no longer alone in the field! :ike material regularly a""ears in Theatre Hournal# Performing Arts Hournal# and Theatre To"ics! In &''(# Performance Research was launched by the +entre for Performance Research in the J!;! Aooks of my writings have a""eared /or will shortly4 in nine languages# both Curo"ean and Asian7 my essays are even more widely translated! Phelan<s# A;9<s# 8gugi<s# Arowning<s# and $uno?<s writings and edited volumes are very well known! The ""erformance "aradigm" is strong in the social sciences and cultural studies! All this signals the maturing and dissemination of a disci"line larger than any single institution! What ha""ens at 8DJ is im"ortant# of course# but not determinant of the future of the field! Students are continuously "ointing the way! Their needs

drive the search for new courses# new means of s"reading the word and sharing intelligences! %or e am"le# "Performance Studies International#" in the s"ring of &''5 brought do?ens of scholars and "erformers to 8DJ! PSI was organi?ed entirely by students# led by Hon $c;en?ie# and was the seed for the Performance Studies Annual +onferences to come in &''G# <'(# and <'1! There were other conferences from the &'15s onward that hel"ed lay the groundwork for "erformance studies as a field!

%rom Aurg Wartenstein and the World +onference on Ritual and Performance to the Aellagio +onference on Intercultural Performance I met Iictor Turner face2to2face in the s"ring of &'11 when he invited me to a lecture +lifford 9eert? was giving at +olumbia Jniversity! Turner suggested we have a beer after the lecture! =aving read Turner avidly# I was as eager to meet him as he was to meet me22for he had read my stuff and recogni?ed a kindred s"irit! We went to one of those grungy beer halls near +olumbia where# love at first sight# our conversation ranged all over the "lace# from 8dembu ritual# Sanskrit theatre# and 9offmanian "erformances in everyday life to )ionysus in ('# :evi2Strauss# $a 9luckman# and the work of Aarbara $yerhoff# who I had not yet met! Turner invited me to "artici"ate in a conference he was "lanning in Se"tember &'11 to be held at a castle in Austria owned by the Wenner29ren %oundation for Anthro"ological Research! Aurg Wartenstein Sym"osium 8o! 1( on "+ultural %rames and Reflections# Ritual# )rama# and S"ectacle" was no ordinary

gathering! The scholars and artists were alone with each other for &5 days22no "ublic sessions# Bust seminars# "erformances# good food# and "assionate conversation! The roster of attendees made my mouth water. Herome Rothenberg# 8atalie Neamon )avis# Aarbara $yerhoff# Hohn $acAloon# RanBini and 9aneth >beyesekere# Roberta da $atta# Alfonso >rti?# Iictoria Aricker# Smadar :avie# and ;irin 8arayan# and a few others! +ollectively# this grou" of anthro"ologists# artists# historians# and humanists had great breadth and knowledge in terms of disci"line# genre# area# and "ersonal style! What would I contribute? I decided to develo" a theory linking anthro"ological and theatrical thought! I also would show the film of )ionysus in (' and discuss ritual in relation to e "erimental "erformance! The resulting essay was my first stab at what would become "Restoration of Aehavior!" At the Sym"osium I formed lasting relationshi"s with several "artici"ants# most decisively with Turner and $yerhoff! We launched a set of collaborations# including a summer &'1' worksho" which met at 8DJ and the Performing 9arage whose co2 teachers were Iictor and Cdith Turner# $yerhoff# Ale ander Alland# Crving 9offman# and me! >ther Wartenstein "eo"le acce"ted my invitation to lecture at 8DJ in my Performance Theory courses! Shortly after the Wenner29ren Sym"osium# Turner and I began "lanning a "World +onference on Ritual and Performance#" which turned out to be three conferences with a core grou" attending all three meetings! The first# in 8ovember &'3& in Ari?ona# focused on the ritual "erformances of the DaEuis7 the second in

8ew Dork in $ay &'30# focused on Ha"anese "erformance# es"ecially Su?uki Tadashi! The culminating gathering was in 8ew Dork from 0@ August to & Se"tember &'30 where fifty "ersons "resented work! Taken as a whole# the World +onference considered traditional# modern# and "ost2modern "erformances in 8ative America# Asia# and Africa! The range was from noh drama and e "erimental Ha"anese "erformance to DaEui )eer )ancing# from kutiyattam and kathakali to African2American gos"el# from ;orean shamanism and American e "erimental theatre to circus! +onference "lanners insisted that work be "resented live by artists and ritual s"ecialists! Ay $eans of Performance /&''54 was edited from the "a"ers# lectures# and demonstrations of the +onferences! %or a &'35 "lanning committee meeting# Turner articulated our goal. Ay their "erformances shall ye know them! ,!!!!- +ultures are most fully e "ressed in and made conscious of themselves in their ritual and theatrical "erformances! ,!!!- A "erformance is a dialectic of "flow#" that is# s"ontaneous movement in which action and awareness are one# and "refle ivity#" in which the central meanings# values and goals of a culture re seen "in action#" as they sha"e and e "lain behavior! A "erformance is declarative of our shared humanity# yet it utters the uniEueness of "articular cultures! We will know one another better by entering one another<s "erformances and learning their grammars and vocabularies! Turner<s vision was not only of the +onference but a uto"ian "roBect for a world community based on mutual res"ect and

enBoyment of cultural differences# e changes of feelings as well as ideas# and the desire to e "erience each other<s cultural identities! %or me# this uto"ian "roBect still informs "erformance studies! Turner<s death in )ecember# &'3@ cut short his life work! 9offman had died earlier# $yerhoff shortly after! In &'3' and &''5# I was the "rinci"al "lanner of a conference on Intercultural Performance s"onsored by the Rockefeller %oundation and convened at its Aellagio# Italy villa from &1 to 00 %ebruary &''& /the "recise moment of the 9ulf War4! This +onference was not so large as the World +onference# but its "artici"ants were more tightly associated with "erformance studies! Among the 0& attendees were A;9# Amankulor# Phelan# Taussig# and me as well as former and "resent 8DJ Performance Studies students. William Sun# )eborah ;lens# Radhika Subramanian# and :aura Tri""i! >thers in attendance included Cugenio Aarba# Hean %ranco# Hudith $itoma# %alabo ABayi# Trin $in2ha# Damaguchi $asao# 9ayatri S"ivak# and )rew =ayden Taylor! Anna )eavere Smith# 9uillermo 9ome?2Pena# and SanBukta Panigrahi each "erformed as well as "artici"ate in discussions! Smith "erformed the +onference attendees based on "hone interviews /including one with =omi Ahabha who did not come because he refused to fly during the 9ulf War4! >ne of the most telling encounters came when Panigrahi intervened in a "anel discussing her work with Cugenio Aarba to "rotest that she did not want to be referred to in the third "erson# that her odissi dance was not a "natural obBect" but the "roduct of long and conscious training and that she certainly knew e actly what she was doing when she

"artici"ated in Aarba<s e "eriments mi ing Indian and Curo"ean "ractices! )uring each of the four working days of the +onference different issues were e "lored through "resentations# and "erformances! To"ics included "Post2+olonial Situations#" "The 9ulf War and Interculturalism#" "Problems of Translation#" "+ollections# C hibitions# and %estivals#" "Playing Across +ultures#" "The International School of Theatre Anthro"ology#" and "The )ivergence*+onvergence of +ultures!" Aut# finally# for me# des"ite all good intentions and stellar "artici"ants# the Intercultural Performance +onference was not as successful as the two "revious meetings! The very "roblems of interculturalism22 disBunctures of meaning and intention# the difficulty of really communicating across ideological and methodological borders# barriers thrown u" by charges of se ism# both conscious and unintended# made for rough going over the si days! I went away thinking I had learned more about "roblems than solutions! I was not able during the two following years to "ut together a book based on the +onference! These three conferences22stretching over &G years22e tended the reach of "erformance studies far beyond 8DJ! They gave to the field a worldwide sco"e both in terms of "artici"ants and subBect matter! They ke"t a core of "eo"le in touch with each other and working together! The conferences were im"ortant both as field2 defining events and as a means of dissemination!

8orthwestern Jniverity<s Arand of Performance Studies The story I<m telling is incom"lete in at least two ways!

%irst# someone else with access to the same data# Arooks $c8amara for e am"le# would stitch it together and inter"ret it very differently! Second# I conflate wide2ranging and diverse work# done by many "eo"le in many "laces# into the "roBect of a single academic de"artment and those who have been associated with it! >n the other hand# if I don<t regard the field from where I stand within it# I fail in conveying the e "eriential immediacy of my own involvement! =aving thus alerted readers# let me look briefly at Performance Studies at 8orthwestern Jniversity! 8DJ<s branch of "erformance studies is rooted in drama and theatre# 8orthwestern<s in s"eech and oral inter"retation! These are not only genres# they are academic traditions! At one time the disci"lines were fused in "Theatre and S"eech" de"artments! Then# after the World War II# these de"artments began s"litting# each branch develo"ing in its own way! There were also many S"eech and >ral Inter"retation de"artments that never were associated with theatre! %or e am"le# 8WJ<s nineteenth century )e"artment of Clocution became its )e"artment of >ral Inter"retation and then in &'3F the Performance Studies )e"artment! Ay whatever name# the theoretical foundation of s"eech de"artments was rhetoric7 the "ractical basis# staging oral inter"retations of various te ts# but usually not dramas! In a &''@ internet discussion of "What is Performance Studies?" 8athan Stucky of Southern Illinois Jniversity wrote. Performance Studies at S+A /S"eech +ommunication Association4 ,!!!- seems a logical develo"ment over a few decades! Ay the late &'G5s and early &'15s many /then >ral

Inter"retation4 "rograms were really "racticing what was called "Performance of :iterature!" =owever# the view of literature Euickly broadened to include cultural "erformances# "ersonal narratives# everyday2life "erformances# non2fiction# ritual# etc! This view suggests a very wide notion of the conce"t "te t!" Ay the mid2&'15s the Inter"retation )ivision of S+A would have more accurately been called the "The Studiers and Performers of )iverse Te ts )ivision!" Ay this "oint in time# ethnogra"hic work# as well as folklore and anthro"ology# began to be of some interest! 6uestions raised concerning various conce"tions regarding how "erformance functions in relation to culture and society /and comes to constitute same4 es"ecially in terms of human communication began to be e "lored! So# along with the literary# theoretical# and critical models of "erformance that one might associate with "Inter"retation" has been the emergence of interest in cultural and social elements# as well as interest in "erformance as a way of knowing! These threads connect logically and historically through relatively recent literary*critical foci to the oral tradition which has always been "art of these a""roaches to "erformance! Performance Studies# S+A# then# describes an inde"endent /but not unconnected4 evolution stretching back a number of years! So# "erformance studies must be conceived in rather broad strokes! Stucky succinctly shows how "erformance studies 8WJ22es"ecially the researches of )wight +onEuergood22connect to Turner# 9offman#

9eert?# and $ilton Singer22thinkers certainly im"ortant to my work# if not to all my 8DJ colleagues! Sally =arrison2Pe""er# an 8DJ Ph)# added this to the internet discussion. Performance Studies is a difficult field to define! I studied at 8ew Dork<s Jniversity<s )e"artment of Performance Studies in the early &'35s# where the Euest for a single definition was "art of an on2going debate and discussion among 8DJ grad students and faculty! As I "resently teach and "ractice it# and always subBect to change# I define Performance Studies as "a broadly interdisci"linary field in which scholars study the varieties of e "ressive behavior in culture!" Performance Studies scholars may include the arts /theatre# music# dance4 as one of several focus areas# but that is not our only22or even necessarily our central22 concern! We look at a wide variety of "ublic and "rivate behaviors! We em"loy the social sciences /anthro"ology# sociology# "sychology# and o son4 as some of our analytic tools# and have recently begun to also use feminist theory# semiotics# com"arative linguistics# and a variety of other im"ortant emerging critical systems! We are very interested in# for e am"le# the ethnogra"hy of communication# and in areas such as sociolinguistics# thus our use of the word ""erformance" is a much broader organi?ing idea than it may a""ear to some! Stucky and =arrison2Pe""er underscore a "arallel between "erformance studies and cultural studies22the develo"ment in literary theory from the &'15s onward of an e "loration of the

"erformative. regarding literature from the "ers"ective of s"eech acts# social and "olitical conte ts# and historiogra"hy! In their "reface to Performance Te ts and +onte ts /&''@4# +arol Sim"son Stern /former chair of the 8WJ de"artment4 and Aruce =enderson commence. The term "erformance incor"orates a whole field of human activity! It embraces a verbal act in everyday life or a staged "lay# a rite of invective "layed in urban streets# a "erformance in the Western traditions of high art# or a work of "erformance art! It includes cultural "erformances# such as the "ersonal narrative or folk and fairy tales# or more communal forms of ceremony22the 8ational )emocratic +onvention# an evensong vigil march for "eo"le with AI)S# $ardi 9ras# or a bullfight! It also includes literary "erformance# the celebration of individual genius# and conformity to Western definitions of art! In all cases a "erformance act# interactional in nature and involving symbolic forms and live bodies# "rovides a way to constitute meaning and to affirm individual and cultural values /&''@.@4! Stern and =enderson continue by citing familiar sources. Turner# 9offman# Sartre /"henomenology4# and me! They construct a continuum22not unlike the one I devised in &'(( for "A""roaches" 22situating various kinds of "erformances along a line running from "ordinary everyday e "eriences" to "e traordinary e "eriences" /&G4! They outline what they determine to be the four key "elements of "erformance. "erformer# te t# audience# and

conte t" /&(4! +onEuergood# currently chair of 8WJ<s Performance Studies )e"artment# and a maBor theorist of "erformance studies# raised in &''& what he called "new Euestions that can be clustered around five intersecting "lanes of analysis". &! Performance and cultural "rocess! What are the conce"tual conseEuences of thinking about culture as a verb instead of a noun# "rocess instead of "roduct? +ulture as an unfolding "erformative invention instead of reified system# structure# or variable? What ha""ens to our thinking about "erformance when we move it outside of Aesthetics and situate it at the center of lived e "erience? 0! Performance and Cthnogra"hic Pra is! What are the methodological im"lications of thinking about fieldwork as the collaborative "erformance of an enabling fiction between observer and observed# knower and known? =ow does thinking about fieldwork as "erformance differ from thinking about fieldwork as the collection of data? ,!!!@! Performance and =ermeneutics! What kinds of knowledge are "rivileged or dis"laced when "erformed e "erience becomes a way of knowing# a method of critical inEuiry# a mode of understanding? ,!!!F! Performance and Scholarly Re"resentation! What are the rhetorical "roblematics of "erformance as a com"lementary or alternative form of ""ublishing" research? What are the differences between reading an analysis of fieldwork

data# and hearing the voices from the field inter"retively filtered through the voice of the researcher? ,!!!- What about enabling "eo"le themselves to "erform their own e "erience? ,!!!G! The Politics of Performance! What is the relationshi" between "erformance and "ower? =ow does "erformance re"roduce# enable# sustain# challenge# subvert# critiEue# and naturali?e ideology? =ow do "erformances simultaneously re"roduce and resist hegemony? =ow does "erformance accommodate and contest domination? /&''&.&'54! Several of the "rethinkings" +onEuergood "ro"oses are strong themes in my own and others< work! Working on the same "roblems relates the 8DJ and the 8WJ a""roaches to each other! What 8DJ has em"hasi?ed more than 8WJ is movement analysis# "o"ular entertainments# and gender in its multi"le "ossibilities ranging from feminist "erformance to Eueer theory!

So What is Performance Studies Anyway? =aving come this far# it<s time to give my own answer the O(F Euestion! Performance studies is "inter"22in between! It is intergeneric# interdisci"linary# intercultural22and therefore inherently unstable! Performance studies resists or reBects definition! Performance studies assumes that we are living in a "ost2colonial world where cultures are colliding# interfering with each other# and energetically hybridi?ing! Performance studies does not value ""urity!" In fact# academic disci"lines

are most active and im"ortant at their ever2changing interfaces! In terms of "erformance studies# this means between theatre and anthro"ology# folklore and sociology# history and "erformance theory# gender studies and "sychoanalysis# "erformativity and actual "erformance events# and more22new interfaces will be added as time goes on# and older ones dro""ed! Acce"ting "inter" means o""osing the establishment of any single system of knowledge# values# or subBect matter! Performance studies is unfinished# o"en# multivocal# and self2contradictory! Thus any call for or work towards a "unified field" is# in my view# a misunderstanding of the very fluidity and "layfulness fundamental to "erformance studies! That sidewinder rattlesnake again# the endlessly creative double negative at the core of the restoration of behavior! +loser to the ground is the Euestion of the relation of "erformativity to "erformance "ro"er! Are there any limits to "erformativity? Is there anything outside of the "urview of "erformance studies? To answer we must distinguish between "as" and "is!" Performances mark identities# bend and remake time# adorn and resha"e the body# tell stories# and allow "eo"le to "lay with behavior that is "twice2behaved#" not2for2the2first time# rehearsed# cooked# "re"ared! =aving made such a swee"ing generali?ation# it is necessary to add that every genre of "erformance# even every "articular instance of a genre# is concrete# s"ecific# and different than every other! It is necessary to generali?e in order to make theory! At the same time# we must not lose sight of each s"ecific "erformance<s

"articularities of e "erience# structure# history# and "rocess! Any event# action# item# or behavior may be e amined "as" "erformance! A""roaching "henomena as "erformance has certain advantages! >ne can consider things as "rovisional# in2"rocess# e isting and changing over time# in rehearsal# as it were! >n the other hand# there are events which tradition and convention declare "are" "erformances! In Western culture# until recently# "erformances were of theatre# music# and dance22the "aesthetic genres#" the "erforming arts! Recently# since the &'(5s at least# aesthetic "erformances have develo"ed that cannot be located "recisely as theatre or dance or music or visual arts! Jsually called either ""erformance art#" or "mi ed2media#" "=a""enings#" or "intermedia" these events blur or breach boundaries se"arating art from life and genres from each other! As "erformance art grew in range and "o"ularity# theorists began to e amine ""erformative behavior"22how "eo"le "lay gender# heightening one<s constructed identity# "erforming slightly or radically different selves in different situations! This is the "erformative Austin introduced and Autler and Eueer theorists discuss! The "erformative engages "erformance in "laces and situations not traditionally marked as ""erforming arts#" from dress u" to certain kinds of writing or s"eaking! The acce"tance of the "erformative as a category of theory as well as a fact of behavior has made it increasingly difficult to sustain the distinction between a""earances and facts# surfaces and de"ths# illusions and substances! A""earances are actualities! And so are what lies beneath a""earances! Reality is constructed through and

through# from its many surfaces or as"ects down through its multi"le de"ths! The subBects of "erformance studies are both what is "erformance and the "erformative22and the myriad contact "oints and overla"s# tensions and loose s"ots# se"arating and connecting these two categories!

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