Choreography of horror. Compositional approaches and their influence on generating fear in the spectator

Abstract

This study presents the results of a practical experiment conducted in the field of performing arts, framed within a mixed-methods research design of concurrent structure. In the first phase, a single dramatic plot was staged through two distinct choreographic interpretations, each based on divergent compositional approaches. These approaches stem from a theoretical framework contrasting, on the one hand, aesthetic elements characteristic of Pina Bausch’s choreographic language, and on the other, principles associated with the Judson Dance Theater. The second phase focuses on analyzing the effects these performances produced in the audience, employing tools such as graphological analysis and the Lüscher color test. The central aim is to investigate a possible causal relationship between the structural components of the stage phenomenon and the emotional responses of spectators, based on the hypothesis that the choreographic component alone may be capable of eliciting fear. Within this context, the concept of corpography is introduced to refer to the symbolic inscription of bodily movement in scenic space and its perceptual impact.
The findings suggest that compositional strategies have a significant influence on the audience's emotional response, and that specific configurations of movement—particularly those inspired by Bausch—tend to produce a corpographic effect associated with fear, as evidenced by the expressive data collected.