This book investigates the ontological status of dance, specifically questioning how an ephemeral performance art can be conceptualized as a persistent work that exists beyond its immediate physical manifestation. Anna Pakes, a scholar in dance theory, utilizes the framework of analytic philosophy of art to dissect the metaphysics of choreography and performance. By examining Western theater dance, she explores how historical shifts in conceptualization influence our understanding of what constitutes a dance work when it is not being performed.

Scholars and practitioners in the field of dance studies identify this work as a rigorous contribution to the philosophy of performance. Readers frequently note the academic density of the prose, which serves as a foundational text for those examining the intersection of movement and metaphysics.