The Imposed Limits of Embodied Knowledge

Abstract

Abstract: Despite a lifetime of embodied knowledge that has been acquired through theatre, dance, and athletics, I discovered a contrast between the value and trust placed on the body in performance versus the value of embodied knowledge in medical care. In analyzing experiences of Long COVID as a theatre practitioner and scholar, I illustrate how foundational awareness of the body is often dismissed when seeking medical care for this new chronic illness, which is a radically different experience from how we highly prioritize the body and awareness of it in performance technique and training. This essay explains how Long COVID has reshaped how I teach, practice theatre, advocate for Long COVID and COVID-19 mitigations, and live.