Daggering Inna Di Dancehall Kierkegaard’s Conceptualization of Subjectivity and Nietzsche’s Dionysus in Relation to Jamaican Dance by Randolph-Dalton Hyman B.F.A., Concordia University, 1996 M.A., McGill University, 1999 Thesis Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Arts Education Program Faculty of Education Randolph-Dalton Hyman 2012 SIMON FRASER UNIVERSITY Summer 2012 All rights reserved. However, in accordance with the Copyright Act of Canada, this work may be reproduced, without authorization, under the conditions for “Fair Dealing.” Therefore, limited reproduction of this work for the purposes of private study, research, criticism, review and news reporting is likely to be in accordance with the law, particularly if cited appropriately. Approval Name: Randolph-Dalton Hyman Degree: Doctor of Philosophy (Arts Education) Title of Thesis: Daggering Inna Di Dancehall: Kierkegaard’s Conceptualization of Subjectivity and Nietzsche’s Dionysus in Relation to Jamaican Dance Examining Committee: Chair: Dr. Lynn Fels, Assistant Professor Dr. Yaroslav Senyshyn Senior Supervisor Professor Dr. June Francis Supervisor Associate Professor Dr. Heesoon Bai Internal Examiner Professor Dr. Robert Walker External Examiner Professor New South Wales University Date Defended/Approved: August 8, 2012 ii Partial Copyright Licence iii Abstract This thesis explores dance beyond entertainment, psychological, behavioural or cognitive theory; beyond conventional interpretations of performance, and beyond the disciplinary categories that tend to separate practices in contemporary Western culture. This is a study of “Daggering,” the Jamaican style of dancing marked by violence and raw sexual licentiousness inna di dancehall (in the dancehall)—a male-dominated dance space in Jamaica. The problem of daggering analyzed stems from the so-called “causes” of violence. Cultural theorists argue the violent situation in the dancehall and throughout Jamaica is related to the history of colonialism and slavery, poverty, the polarization of the country’s political parties, and politicians who first issued guns. Some philosophers argue the myth of ‘poverty’ is an illusion and world-historical logico- mathematical thinking is delusional. Primary texts studied are: The Birth of Tragedy by Nietzsche, and the Concluding Unscientific Postscript by Kierkegaard. I am interested in the inseparability, the embeddedness of Dionysus in all the phenomena of life. The myth of Dionysus contains statements about society and the individual not easily accessible by purely objective techniques. Nietzsche writes: the invisible forces of nature, “through whose gestures and eyes all the joy and wisdom of ‘illusion,’ together with its beauty, speak to us.” Kierkegaard’s aesthetic philosophy of subjectivity challenges the myth of poverty. Thus, this thesis marks a connection between daggering, the myth of Dionysus, and subjectivity. The essential question asked: ‘what’ knowledge is of the most worth to transform the individual and a society in crisis? A philosophical methodology is used to analyze texts in relation to social issues and dance. I conclude ‘how’ to transform the individual and a society in crisis “an apolitical and passionately responsible subjectivity” is necessary. Keywords: Subjectivity; Dionysus; Jamaican Dance; Dancehall; Daggering; Sex; Violence iv Dedication To Thomas E. Ward (5 April 1938 – 28 July 2012) v Acknowledgements Because I am so grateful, to be precise, I give thanks to That which touches everyone and everything in order to acknowledge you all. The profundity of my gratitude goes out to Simon Fraser University, especially my thesis supervisors, examiners, and the Assistant for Theses. With great love and deep respect, I thank you all with all my heart. vi Table of Contents Approval .............................................................................................................................ii Partial Copyright Licence .................................................................................................. iii Abstract .............................................................................................................................iv Dedication ......................................................................................................................... v Acknowledgements ...........................................................................................................vi Table of Contents ............................................................................................................. vii List of Illustrations ............................................................................................................. x Inciting Incident .................................................................................................................xi Preface ............................................................................................................................. xii Introduction ..................................................................................................................... 1 Background Information ................................................................................................ 7 Techne .............................................................................................................................. 8 Father of Existentialism ................................................................................................... 12 The Existential Problem .................................................................................................. 16 The Hypothesis ............................................................................................................... 18 The Method ..................................................................................................................... 20 The Land of Jamaica ....................................................................................................... 26 The What of Jamaican Dance ......................................................................................... 30 The How of Jamaican Dance .......................................................................................... 37 Dance in Theory .............................................................................................................. 40 Behavioural Theory ................................................................................................ 41 Psychoanalytic Theory ........................................................................................... 44 Cognitive Theory .................................................................................................... 46 Philosophy of Dance ....................................................................................................... 48 Rex Nettleford: The National Dance Theatre Company ................................................. 55 Dancehall: Dis/plays ....................................................................................................... 57 Who Is the Dancer .......................................................................................................... 59 Daggering Inna Di Dancehall with Dionysus ................................................................... 61 Madness.......................................................................................................................... 65 Zorba the Greek ..................................................................................................... 65 Theatre of Cruelty .................................................................................................. 68 St. Vitus’s Dance .................................................................................................... 72 Section 1 ........................................................................................................................ 84 Part 1............................................................................................................................... 85 The Madness of Dionysus ...................................................................................... 85 Part 2............................................................................................................................... 97 A Mad Dancer Who Would Become the God Dionysus ......................................... 97 vii Part 3............................................................................................................................. 105 Mad Slave and the Master Dionysus ................................................................... 105 Dionysus the Master and Slave ................................................................... 105 Riding di Riddims of Slavologists ................................................................ 108 Illusion of Slavery ........................................................................................ 113 Maya ............................................................................................................ 121 Contagious Riddimitis .................................................................................. 124 Renewal and Continuity .............................................................................. 128 Closing ........................................................................................................ 132 Dionysian Daggas ...............................................................................................