The GRACE Project Seminar: Observations on Grace and their Implications for Contemporary Dance

‘Slavoj Žižek, Grace, and Contemporary Dance’
Speaker: Renate Braeuninger (Northampton)

In his extensive reflections on German philosophy and German Idealism, particularly in ‘Less than Nothing’ (2012), Žižek alludes to ideas of ‘grace’ on a number of occasions. This talk considers the following questions: What are the concepts and ideas of grace that Žižek is exploring, and to what extent are they useful for research into dance? By looking at German Idealism through the lens of Žižek and by thinking about its relevance to dance we gain a mediated perspective on German Idealism, but one that also reflects contemporary understanding of the term ‘grace’.