Transgressing the Borders of Art and Non-art: The Case of Elmerice Parts and Herman Kolt-Oginsky

Abstract Modern dance made its way to Estonia in the 1910s. By putting on stage a new woman and picturing her in a new way, modern dance challenged many members of society, sometimes even being seen as disgraceful. In 1926 and 1927, Elmerice Parts (1878–1974) and Herman Kolt-Oginsky (1902–1977) created scandals with their dance numbers in Estonia. According to reviewers, the dancers transgressed the line between art and non-art. The artists were attacked for making use of acrobatic and “erotic” elements; not surprisingly, the latter aspect was seen more critically. The aim of this article is to understand where the line between art and non-art lay in the 1920s. I come to the conclusion that artfulness was associated predominantly with spirituality and the unconscious: When the dancer focused on bodily experiences and highlighted their physical body parts, it became non-art. The main source of information is articles published in print media in 1926 and 1927. I analysed the data using qualitative methods.