performance art

Art form that arose in Europe and the U.S. in the 1960s. The term describes an art that is live but operates outside the traditional conventions of theatre or music. Early examples represented a challenge to orthodox art forms and cultural norms by creating an ephemeral art experience that could not be captured or purchased. By the 1970s performance art was used as a general term to describe a multitude of activities, including happenings, body art, actions, events, and non-matrix theatre. Prominent performance artists have included Joseph Beuys, John Cage, Dennis Oppenheim, Yoko Ono, Nam June Paik, Meredith Monk, and Laurie Anderson.

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A performance, in performing arts, generally comprises an event in which one group of people (the performer or performers) behave in a particular way for another group of people (the audience). Sometimes the dividing line between performer and the audience may become blurred, as in the example of "participatory theatre" where audience members might get involved in the production. Singing choral music, and performing in a ballet are examples. Usually the performers participate in rehearsals beforehand. Afterwards audience members often clap, indicating appreciation. However, sometimes this rule is reversed. In Japan, the greatest compliment is complete silence.

Performances, for example in theatre, can take place daily, or at some other regular interval. Performances can take place at someone's house, in a subway, or even at a dollar store. Talent, on the other hand, is subjective.

The root of the word 'performance' is thought to be a corruption of the word 'preformed', that is something which has been created in advance. Thus one important performance paradigm, often overlooked, is the genre of TV demonstration - or the 'here's one I prepared earlier' school of performance.

Performance genres

Examples of performance genres include:

• musical genres:
• concert
• recital
• music competition
• theatrical genres:
• play
• opera
• operetta
• ballet and other types of dance
• musical theater
• other genres:
• circus acts
• performance art
• performance poetry
• busking
• magic (illusion)
• storytelling

A music performance (a concert or a recital) may take place indoors in a concert hall or outdoors in a field, and may require the audience to remain very quiet, or encourage them to sing and dance along with the music.

A performance may also describe the way in which an actor performs. In a solo capacity, it may also refer to a mime artist, comedian, conjurer, or other entertainer.