Marianne Filloux-Vigreux Examines State Construction of Dance in France

Marianne Filloux-Vigreux's study 'La danse et l'institution' (Ed. L'Harmattan) argues that contemporary dance in France was largely invented by state institutions. The book meticulously traces the bureaucratic process—decrees, budgets, and pseudo-events like the 1988 'Year of Dance'—that defined and legitimized dance as a cultural object. Despite fluctuating political majorities and occasional conservative rollbacks, a consistent institutional framework emerged. Filloux-Vigreux avoids historical analysis, focusing instead on textual exegesis and precise data. Appendices on subsidy commission compositions, cultural budget allocations, and Ministry of Culture policies serve as ideological revelations. The study highlights how dance, though less prestigious and funded than other arts, became heavily regulated. Laurence Louppe's preface notes that while French intermittent artists fare reasonably well, this book is essential for understanding dancers' current rebellion and their quest to transcend assigned limits. The work implicitly critiques the management of the body as a symptom, unaddressed despite patrimonial policies of the early 1990s.