Archiving Dance

How to document and treasure an ephemeral art

Abstract

Dance, like all performing arts, is ephemeral. And by ephemeral, I mean that once a dance reaches its conclusion it is gone. This is unlike fine arts, which often ends as a finished artwork such as a drawing, painting or sculpture. In performance, be it music, drama or
dance, completion and conclusion are one and the same, with nothing but memories and representational elements remaining. Because of this, intangible heritage is another expression used in association with dance and the performing arts. This expression acknowledges that it is the act itself that is our heritage and not just the tangible recordings and mementos of it.