Dance and Community Engagement in the Private Sector: An Empirical Study on the Current Trends and Challenges of Dance-based Community Engagement Practices

Abstract

ABSTRACT Community engagement has become an increasingly prevalent part of dance education. This study responds to the need for additional research on community engagement activities in private sector dance studios in the United States. Using a combined qualitative and quantitative approach, we provide an in-depth look into the current types of community engagement activities that studio owners are implementing in their programming and analyze specific motivations for conducting community engagement events in their specific regions and beyond. We also consider the challenges and obstacles that private dance studio owners face when conducting community engagement activities and aim to provide practical suggestions for those hoping to increase their activity in this area. These results lend ideas for future research on community engagement to continue to develop this field of study.