Dialogue with the past in contemporary choreography

The present paper starts from the idea of “archival return” in scientific discourse and its possible uses in choreographic practice. In Poland, many choreographers have tried to reconstruct the works of famous artists from the 20s and 30s of the XX century. The works of Pola Nireńska, Yanka Rudzka and Marie Rambert are brought to the stage from today’s perspective. This phenomenon would contribute to the completion of a history with new valences. In the context of reconstructing the choreography of the past, we will refer to the memory of the body and “the body as an archive”. We will analyze how contemporary choreographers work with memory and bodily memories, trying to find traces to get in touch with historical stagings. The research is based on the concept of the body as an archive and the experience of previous generations in choreographic practice. At the same time, we will try to find the answer to the question: how is the process of including choreography in the archival context treated and how does it manifest itself as such today. We will highlight the connection with the past, but also the contribution to knowing and promoting choreographic values.