The Dance as Yet Undreamed: Genevieve Stebbins and the Gilded Age Field of Expression

Abstract

Genevieve Stebbins (1857–1934) is recognized as a leading 19th century figure in American Delsartism, a pedagogical field of physical expression, incorporating vocal delivery, gestural action, poise, and pantomime. Although her contributions have been historically misconstrued, Stebbins’ work, particularly her aesthetic dance practices, established the foundation of American modern dance. Stebbins was a successful solo performer engaged in a philosophy of movement aesthetics yet, to date, her role as a dancer has remained largely unexplored. “Forgotten by dance historians today,” Stebbins “deserves credit as a forerunner of modern dance in America” (Shelton 1987). Scholars in dance studies, American Delsartism, somatics and yoga studies have linked Stebbins to important developments in early modern dance (Jowitt 1997; Ruyter 1999; Edwards 1999; Bordelon 2016; Mullan 2016, 2017, 2020, 2022; Singleton 2010; Tomko 1999; Burns 1988, 2005; Thomas 1995, 2004; Foster 2011; Weber 2009; Brandstetter 2015; Kraler 2022;), yet no one has devoted extended research to establish her life story, family history, her motivations for developing her own philosophy of movement, or her feminist reformations of aesthetic dance as a theatre art. Capitalizing on the recent digitization of historical newspapers, weekly entertainment reviews, and professional journals, this biographical study is a critical commentary on Stebbins’ performance work and pedagogy through her lesser known early years leading to the founding of her New York School of Expression in 1893. Utilizing theoretical approaches from feminist biography, theatre and dance historiography, framed by Gilded Age class dynamics and archival theory, this dissertation provides important context for the development of Stebbins’ philosophical ideas as well as her foundational role in the creation of early modern dance, when she created a unique genre of solo dance performance which has been critically overlooked.