A Phenomenological Study of Sensorial Experience through Merleau-Ponty's Perspective on the Body-Focusing on Dance Performance “Handful” of Jung-Mi Han -

Humans perceive the world through their embodied experience. The perceiving subject weaves subjective sensations and personal experiences to judge objects from a unique perspective. Rather than instant judgment, the human recognizes the object by directly engaging all senses. This study takes a phenomenological approach to the dance performance "Handful(움 큼)," analyzing the intrinsic meanings through the lived experiences of space, movement, and medium(clay). Merleau-Ponty's perspective reveals the body as the perceiving subject generates diverse meanings in the artwork. The work's space becomes a realm of total experience where sensations, knowledge, and language intersect. The relationships between dancers, clay, and audience demonstrate an intentionality that connects the internal and external. The clay is encouraged to form active exchanges, challenging traditional hierarchies. The dancers' movements innately seek play, imagination, and freedom, while also expressing textures of pain and loneliness. The body that pursues joy and liberation can be seen as an open embodiment with a positive worldview. Applying the phenomenological lens to dance creation and evaluation can help organize deeper layers of meaning and offer transformative experiences for the audience.