Dr. Susan Manning

Biography

Susan Manning is the Bergen Evans Professor in the Humanities at Northwestern University, with a joint appointment in the Department of English, Theatre, and Performance Studies. She specializes in dance movement-based performance and teaches the history of theatrical modernism and avant-garde performance. A curator and dramaturge, her writings have been translated into several languages including German, French, Italian, Spanish, and Polish. Manning is the author and editor of eight books, including 'Ecstasy and the Demon', which explores the work of Mary Wigman, and 'Modern Dance, Negro Dance: Race in Motion', which discusses the evolving dynamics between modern dancers and African-American concert dancers in New York City during the Great Depression and the Red Scare. She has coedited anthologies that survey research in German dance studies and address the future of dance studies in an interdisciplinary context. Manning has actively participated in various academic committees and programs, including serving as Chair in her department and directing the graduate cluster in Critical Dance Studies. Her areas of specialization also include Gender & Sexuality Studies, Drama & Performance, and Critical Race Studies.

Research Interests