Dancing has been officially prohibited in Iran since 1979 Revolution. This prohibition has
above all affected women. Female dancers are not able to utilize their expressive and
communicative medium freely or without consequences. Dance and choreography is regarded
as a political act in the suppressive political system of the Islamic Republic. Relocation and
spending their lives in exile in the western countries; is the solution of women dancers and
choreographers to continue their profession.

Iranian women dancers and choreographers in exile preserve their contact to their home country despite physical absence. In the performances, they bring awareness to the social and political issues of Iran as well as the country of their residence.

In this talk, Elaheh Hatami will address the approach of the Iranian women dancers and choreographers in embodying the social- political issues. By introducing the choreographies from the contemporary dance scene in Europe and the US, Hatami will indicate to what extent those women dancers could affect their home country as well es the place of their residence.

Elaheh Hatami (Dr. Phil.) is an independent dance scholar and author. Her book Glocal Bodies: Dancers in Exile and Politics of Place: A Critical Study of Contemporary Iranian Dance is newly published by transcript publishing.