Expanding the Ekphrastic: Using Dance to Write the Body

Inland Northwest Poetry Salon

A poetry workshop inspired by movement, led by poet Grace Anne Anderson. This workshop is part of the 3rd annual Inland Northwest Poetry Salon.

The tradition of ekphrastic writing seeks to evoke another non-textual art form (such as a painting) through language, but writing about movement or dance has often been considered beyond discourse, or ineffable. In this workshop, writers will explore writing about the body's movement through a lens of "ballophrastic poetry," a term coined by Cassandra Atherton, writing ekphrastic poems not just "about dance," but evocative of the embodied viewing experience.

In the generative portion of this workshop, writers will be encouraged to describe responses to traditional and nontraditional forms of "dance," including athletic sports or organic movements. We will watch videos of movement and dance and respond in writing to see how movement inspires us. Participants do not need to have any experience or working understanding of technical aspects of dance to participate. Some examples of works discussed will be New York City Ballet's Poems of Gesture series and portions of Edwin Denby's critical essays.

About the presenter: Grace Anne Anderson is an interdisciplinary artist living and dancing in Spokane, WA, where she recently served as poetry editor for Willow Springs Magazine. Her poems have appeared on Spokane Public Radio and have been recently published or are forthcoming in Poetry Northwest, The Ekphrastic Review, and The Shore.

This event is part of the third annual Inland Northwest Poetry Salon.

By attending library programs, you are agreeing to potentially appear in photos/videos taken at our locations that may be used in promotional materials including social media.

We strive to make events welcoming for people of all abilities. To request accommodations (i.e. hearing assistance, ASL requests, or other ADA inquiries), email sday@spokanelibrary.org.

For all event information inquiries, email telref@spokanelibrary.org or call 509-444-5300.

Upcoming events