Saisir le mouvement dansé par l’analyse des interactions corporelles

This paper seeks to contribute to the analysis of nonverbal interactions through a case study: the creation process in ballet. Its methodological framework is twofold: in addition to the tools of qualitative sociology, it draws on research from the field of dance studies to elaborate on the notion of embodiment and the social circulation of movement. First, the specificity of movement as material for sociological analysis requires a critical discussion of different models for approaching the relationship between language and physical gestures. Here, dance offers a way to distinguish between different layers of embodiment. Then, drawing on sustained periods of observation with ballet companies in four countries, I describe the ways in which movement is learned and embodied in the case of classical creations, from the use of technical vocabulary to imitation and physical shortcuts. While imitation and invention are often perceived as contradictory in artistic fields, ballet demonstrates that there is a significant margin of creativity even within processes that involve attempts to replicate steps; in that sense, movement may be seen as highly malleable and open to subtle nuances of interpretation as bodies interact.