The Cambridge Companion to Performance Studies

Since the turn of the century, Performance Studies has emerged as an increasingly vibrant discipline. Its concerns - embodiment, ethical research and social change - are held in common with many other fields, however a unique combination of methods and applications is used in exploration of the discipline. Bridging live art practices - theatre, performance art and dance - with technological media, and social sciences with humanities, it is truly hybrid and experimental in its techniques. This Companion brings together specially commissioned essays from leading scholars who reflect on their own experiences in Performance Studies and the possibilities this offers to representations of identity, self-and-other, and communities. Theories which have been absorbed into the field are applied to compelling topics in current academic, artistic and community settings. The collection is designed to reflect the diversity of outlooks and provide a guide for students as well as scholars seeking a perspective on research trends.

• Brings together the diverse areas and approaches in the field of Performance Studies, providing the reader with clear orientation of this challenging discipline
• Traces the history of how performance studies emerged, up to current trends and practices
• Provides clear overviews of the different aspects of the subject, including performance art, visual art, dance and queer studies