An Affective Anthropology of Physical Movement and Human Experience in the Case of Pole Dance as Sport, Art, and Entertainment in Contemporary Japan

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K13471
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 04030:Cultural anthropology and folklore-related
• Research Institution: Hokkaido University (2020-2023); Kyoto University (2019)
• Principal Investigator: COKER Caitlin 北海道大学, 文学研究院, 准教授 (30822754)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 身体 / ダンス / 身体運動 / 芸術 / 舞踊 / 情動 / ジェンダー / 身体経験

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This research clarified how pole dance, which started as a form of erotic entertainment, diversified into a form of fitness, sports competition, and artistic expression. The researcher understood the physical practice of these different kinds of pole dance by experiencing it firsthand with her own dancing body. This research contributed to the anthropological theory of the body by developing theories on affect, becomings, place and space, eroticism, gender, intersectionality, and connection. This was achieved through a novel approach using the physical experience of practice and the affect that arises from that practice as the subject, method, and transmission of research.

Free Research Field

文化人類学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、現代日本におけるポールダンスを事例にし、言語では表しきれないが身体で感じ取れる身体経験の内実を示し、身体的な実践と思考を乖離させない理論形成を行い、言語以外の伝達手段を用いた研究発表形態を提示した。特に、研究者自身が本研究の考察をもとにダンス作品を振付・演出・出演することで、学術的な研究の発表形態が言語化されたものに限るというバイアスを問い直し、非言語的な身体的なパフォーマンスを取り入れた新たな学術的発表形態の分野を切り拓いた。