Dance Performances as an Art Phenomenon

The purpose of the article is to reveal the specificity of on- and off-stage dance performances. The research methodology consisted in the integration of the systematization of approaches to the definition of the concept of «performance», the extrapolation of theoretical concepts of performance into the sphere of choreography, and the art critical analysis of dance performative practices. The scientific novelty of the work lies in revealing the morphological features of on- and off-stage dance performances. Conclusions. The overwhelming majority of contemporary choreographic performances represent on- and off-stage theatrical actions, where the means of choreographic art (rhythmically organized movements and plastique of the human body) are the leading ones in combination with other artistic and extra-artistic means. On- and off-stage choreographic performances, creating an illusion of naturalness (especially the latter), in fact, remain theatrical forms, since they are not lacking demonstrativeness. The orientation of perfomatic art toward visual character actualises choreographic art as one of the main means of such artistic forms. In the dance performances devoted to the comprehension of corporality in postmodern discourse, one of the main tasks of the avant-garde art is realized: to provoke and shock the public. The range of the level of compositional stability of dance performances today varies from choreographically saturated well-rehearsed productions (on-stage forms), bordering on traditional choreographic forms, to almost improvisational ones, sometimes embodied through a very limited arsenal of choreographic means (usually off-stage forms), bordering on happening.