Pascal Quignard explores the origin of dance in new book and Medea butoh performance

Pascal Quignard, a French author, has released "L'Origine de la danse" (Galilée), which explores the connection between the inception of dance and the myth of Medea. This work comprises eighteen chapters and suggests that the initial dance (Ur-Tanz) is rooted in the womb, disrupted by the act of birth. Quignard draws parallels to Medea, referred to as the "Black Mother," symbolizing the desire for death during childbirth. He also created the libretto for the butoh performance "Medea," featuring dancer Carlotta Ikeda and musician Alain Mahé. The book includes "Leçons de solfège et de piano," dedicated to his aunts—Juliette, Marguerite, and Marthe Quignard—and friends Gérard Bobillier and Paul Celan, while also reflecting on the themes of friendship and nature's role in art. Additionally, Chantal Lapeyre-Desmaison contributes an essay that examines dance within Quignard's oeuvre.