Alyssa Bailey

NONVERBAL COMMUNICATION & DANCE

A research paper analyzing nonverbal communication in both performance and therapy based dance. While researching the elements of nonverbal communication in this uniquely visual and physical art, I will seek to find evidence that dance can bring about explanation, restoration, and clarity to communication—all without words. Wrestling with these ideas, I hope to show how dance is an effective nonverbal communication medium in terms of tone, narrative, and purpose.

ARTIST STATEMENT

I believe that in order to communicate, both parties need to have a clear subject matter and a medium through which to transfer the intended subject in order for it to be understood. No fruitful communication can come from blurry intentions, half-hearted images, and pseudo-outlined take-home messages. Communication breakdown surrounds our modernity, in the media as well as face to face. I have made it a goal to study and better understand nonverbal communication, a less-talked about element, in order to connect the physical world to its equally important verbal counterpart. In studying kinesiology as a minor at Gordon, I have truly come to appreciate the depths of potential the human body has for every day function. In terms of my communications major, I wish to achieve a higher level of clarity by restoring the collective meaning by considering the visceral side of communication.