The Dancing Sexualized Archetype : Kelley Abbey’s Reinterpretation of the Dance of the Seven Veils in Strauss’s Salomé

The obscure naming of the Dance of the Seven Veils from Oscar Wilde’s 1891 symbolist tragedy Salomé embodies the author’s ambition for mystery and intrigue. Richard Strauss embraced the ambivalent naming as he created a nine-minute instrumental to invite directors and choreographers to engage in original and creative interpretations. In Opera Australia’s 2012 controversial adaptation of Strauss’s Salomé, choreographer Kelly Abbey accepted this challenge with full force as she used professional dancers to perform each of the seven veils. By showcasing seven different archetypal images of the sexualized woman as seven different dancing veils, Abbey’s inventive and original approach to the infamous dance challenged and remodelled preconceived notions of seduction in Western culture.