Neo-Spiritual Aesthetics: Embodied Transformation in the Israeli Movement Practice Gaga

— —

Lina Aschenbrenner

Neo-Spiritual Aesthetics

Embodied Transformation in the Israeli Movement Practice Gaga

Lina Aschenbrenner

$170

Hardback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Bloomsbury Academic
12 January 2023

Philosophy: aesthetics; Humanist & secular alternatives to religion; Social & cultural anthropology

Series: Bloomsbury Advances in Religious Studies

Tracing embodied transformation in the context of Gaga, the Israeli dance improvisation practice, this book demystifies what Lina Aschenbrenner coins as “neo-spiritual aesthetics.” This book takes the reader on an analytical journey through a Gaga class, outlining the effective aesthetics of Gaga as an example for the broader field of neo-spiritualities. It distinguishes a threefold effect of Gaga practice—from a momentary extraordinary experience, to a lasting therapeutic effect, and finally Gaga’s worldview potential. It situates the effect in an assemblage of interrelating aesthetics of environment, movement, and bodies.

The book shows why seemingly leisure time activities such as Gaga form fruitful research objects to an academic study of religion and opens up research on neo-spiritual practices. In understanding the sensory effect of practice and its cultural and social implications, the book follows an Aesthetics of Religion approach. It departs from the idea that cognition is embodied and that the body is thus central to understanding cultural and social phenomena. Drawing upon a wide array of data gathered in the context of Gaga at the Suzanne Dellal Center in Tel Aviv, the book weaves together different methods of discourse, ritual, movement, body knowledge, and narrative analysis, while acknowledging insights from neuroscience and cognitive science.

By: Lina Aschenbrenner
Imprint: Bloomsbury Academic
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 234mm, Width: 156mm,
ISBN: 9781350272873
ISBN 10: 1350272876
Series: Bloomsbury Advances in Religious Studies
Pages: 288
Publication Date: 12 January 2023
Audience: Professional and scholarly , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

List of Figures and Tables Lists Preface Acknowledgements Introduction Interlude: A Body-Focused Research Method Part I. Gaga class—Aesthetics in Creation 1. Influential Culturescape 2. Ritual Environment Shaping Enactment 3. Body Topography in Discussion 4. The Power of Instructions 5. Transformation in Movement PART II. Gaga Participants—Aesthetics Perceived 6. Narrating Body Knowledge 7. The Wow of Gaga 8. Gaga’s Therapeutic Impact 9. Goes Worldview 10. Concluding Thoughts Notes References Index

Lina Aschenbrenner is a postdoctoral researcher and dance artist based in Germany.

Reviews for Neo-Spiritual Aesthetics: Embodied Transformation in the Israeli Movement Practice Gaga

This book provides a rigorous analysis of how religion and dance can be studied beyond a symbolic understanding. It is a brilliant example of capturing a new movement within the landscape of the recent search for spirituality by taking embodied action seriously and offering an innovative analytical toolkit-'neo-spiritual aesthetics.' This study proves how underestimated the link between religion and movement still is. * Alexandra Grieser, Assistant Professor of Religious Studies, Trinity College Dublin, Ireland * This is a thorough, serious, interesting book on a subject not yet developed in academic literature, relevant to anyone interested in the connection between new spiritualities and body practices. * Marie Mazzella, independent scholar and anthropologist, France *