“All good performance pieces have some philosophical validity.”

– Jack Bowman

Content Warning: This article discusses sensitive topics such as racism, sexism, homophobia, the AIDS crisis, brutality, and the death of Matthew Shepard. Reader discretion is advised.

There are few things more powerful than performance. It has the power to move people and make them feel all kinds of emotions like shock, excitement, happiness, delight, and anger, among others. All performances affect people in one way or another. It is undeniable that performance arts serve as catalysts for social change.

Throughout history, artists have used their craft to voice their opinions and bring about change. Be it theatre, dance, or music, performance pieces are used to advocate for myriad causes even today.

Ways In Which Performance Brings About Social Change

Performance pieces play a crucial role in shaping society and bringing about social change. Let us have a look at the various ways in which art has been serving as a catalyst for social change even today.

Brings Attention to Contemporary Issues

Through music, dance, and theatre, artists highlight relevant issues like inequality, discrimination, and global warming. This sows the seed of change in the hearts of the audiences.

Promotes Diversity & Inclusion

Art has no region, religion, or gender. Artists can use their talents to depict different cultures, traditions, and perspectives. This helps bridge the gap between people all over the world. Performance plays an important role in promoting diversity and inclusion. Consequently, it leads to a peaceful society. 

Fosters A Sense of Belonging

Art brings people together and creates a safe space for people to voice out their opinions and share their experiences. By helping create a sense of solidarity, performance pieces hold the ability to bring about social change.

Performance & Social Change

Art is not merely a means of entertainment. It is a powerful tool that has proven time and again to play an important role in bringing about social change. Let us look at some examples from history that show how performance acted as a catalyst for social change.

Theatre

Theatre is a reflection of real life. It showcases the highs and lows of society. It portrays complex social issues in a simplified and relatable manner. Theatre gives a platform to the underrepresented sections of society and brings our attention to the issues plaguing our society. It has been acting as a catalyst for social change since the time of the ancient Greeks. Even today, theatre plays a key role as a medium to promote grassroots activism. Let us look at five of the many socially-motivated plays that are still relevant today.

Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare – Penned centuries ago, the maestro William Shakespeare penned Measure for Measure. Though lesser known than his other plays, Measure for Measure is very relevant even today. The play revolves around Isabella, a beautiful young lady whose brother, Claudio, is detained for a minor infraction. The presiding judge, Angelo, offers to release him in exchange for a night with Isabella. He remains undeterred even when Isabella threatens to expose him. This play eerily reminds us of the #MeToo movement that swept the world in recent years. 

• An Enemy of the People by Henrik Ibsen – Henrik Ibsen was a playwright who always made sure to address contemporary social issues in his work. His 1882 An Enemy of the People focuses on the environmental issues that have become a major crisis today. Set in a small town, the play depicts the power struggle between economic interests and environmental concerns.
• A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry – Lorraine Hansberry’s A Raisin in the Sun deals with themes like racism, poverty, education, and economic interests. Revolving around the Younger family, the plot gains momentum when Walter Younger’s father passes away and bequeaths the family with $10,000, leaving everyone in a dilemma.
• The Laramie Project by Moises Kaufman – The year 1998 witnessed the brutal death of Matthew Shepard, a student at the University of Wyoming, who was killed only because he was gay. In reaction to this, Moises Kaufman and several collaborators at the Tectonic Theater Project penned The Laramie Project, a three-act play that compiled the reactions to the unnecessary killing. In quite an innovative approach, the play calls its audience to connect with people with whom they have nothing in common. 
• The Normal Heart by Larry Kramer -A few decades ago, AIDS spread all over the world. As it primarily affected homosexual men, it did not gain much importance on the world stage. Through his work, The Normal Heart, Larry Kramer brought attention to the pandemic and highlighted the rights of homosexual men.

Dance

Just like all performance pieces, dance has the unique ability to connect with people and bring about social change. It is astonishing how dance has influenced social change throughout history. Let us have a look at a few of the many such instances.

• Loie & Isadora’s Liberated Choreography – Dance is one of the most free forms of expression. However, even the world of dance has held women and sexuality to rigid standards for centuries. To break free of this, Loie Fuller and Isadora Duncan revolutionized dance by breaking traditional conventions and exploring themes of freedom and individuality.
• Toyi-toyi – South Africans have been using the Zimbabwean dance form, toyi-toyi as a form of political protest for years now.
• Jane Dudley & the New Dance Group – Jane Dudley and her troupe staged low-budget performances to highlight contemporary issues like depression and the Spanish Civil War. They also offer dance classes at low costs to interested students to promote the art.
• The Balance Collective – The brutal death of George Floyd sparked worldwide outrage and renewed interest in the Black Lives Matter movement. Following the tragic killing of George Floyd, activists such as Shamell Bell and Dayshawn ‘Day-Day’ Blanks used dance as both a form of protest and a way to foster resilience within the movement. Dance forms like the jerk and the reject gained popularity among them. The Balance Collective was formed. The members of this group use dance as a mode to fight racism, sexism, and homophobia.

Music  

Music is said to be the universal language of people. It connects people from all over the world, irrespective of their dialect, ethnicity, or country. Music has become the language of protest. It is one of the most important catalysts to bring about social change. Let us have a look at a few of the many musical pieces that helped shape society.

• The Grave of Bonaparte – The Grave of Bonaparte was composed by the Hutchinson Family Singers in the 1840s as a call for freedom in all sectors of life. The song gained immense traction and soon became an important anthem of the anti-slavery movement.
• We Shall Overcome – The gospel song, We Shall Overcome, became an anthem of the American Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s. The song gained so much popularity that it has been translated into a number of languages. Today, it is used by people around the world for motivation and resistance.
• Vande Mataram – Bankim Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Vande Mataram first appeared as part of his renowned play, Anandamath, in the 1870s. The piece invoked nationalist sentiments and mobilized the public against the colonial British rule. It became a battle cry of the Indian freedom fighters. Today, the first two stanzas are adopted as India’s national song.
• Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika – Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika was an important song of the anti-apartheid movement. Composed by Enoch Sontonga in 1897, the church hymn was used in defiance against the apartheid regime. Today, Nkosi Sikelel’ iAfrika is incorporated into South Africa’s hybrid national anthem along with Die Stem van Suid-Afrika.  

Conclusion

Art, in all its forms, has a profound impact on the masses. It leaves a deep impression and motivates people to take action. Over the centuries, performance has played a key role in bringing about change and mobilizing the public. The power of performance is indeed undeniable.

Sources

• https://www.brainyquote.com/authors/jack-bowman-quotes
• https://gutenberg.org/ebooks/1530
• https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/2446
• https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-show/a-raisin-in-the-sun-1252
• https://web.archive.org/web/20130206041116/https://www.bam.org/laramieproject
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PelqtYTeQ8U
• https://www.npr.org/1999/01/15/1031839/the-history-of-we-shall-overcome
• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VReFdmBl0w
• https://www.flatinternational.org/template_volume.php?volume_id=277

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