Perfection, obsession and dance

Diamond, Toby PhD, Pacific Northwest Ballet Co., Seattle Washington, United States

What is perfectionism? Does it lead to something of high quality, or does it block progress? What is the difference between process and product, and what does this difference mean for an artist? Is a body of work a process or a product? When does perfectionism become obsession with details in lieu of the overall conceptualization and artistry of the performance? The presenter will discuss how perfectionism and obsession interact, and what implications this has for technique, artistry and creativity in general. The presenter will refer to current research and treatment in the areas of perfectionism and obsessive behavior. Then the presenter will talk about working with dancers to help them overcome tendencies to perfection and obsession. Finally, the bridge to mental health and life beyond dance with be addressed.

References:

Flett and Hewitt, Perfectionism: Theory, Research and Treatment. Washington, D.C.: American Psychological Association, 2002

Basco, Monica Ramirez , Never Good Enough. New York: Touchstone, 1999

Foa, Edna and Reid Wilson, S.T.O.P. Obsessing! New York: Bantam Books, 1991

Your name (and your affiliation/institution) and the names of other authors (and their affiliations/institutions) will be entered separately in the on-line submission process (Step 5).

No identifying information (such as names of universities, hospitals, dance schools, medical schools, clinics or cities) should be present anywhere in the text of the abstract.