Dancing through life in a changing world: life course, historical time and serious leisure

Abstract

ABSTRACT There is a lack of studies taking a life course perspective in the growing field of research on the social aspects of older people’s dance. This study aims to redress this negligence by exploring older people’s experiences of social dance through life by using a life course perspective. In the process of analysis, the theoretical framework was informed by the serious leisure perspective. Twenty-six qualitative interviews were conducted with older people active in dances originating from the Swedish folk park tradition. The results demonstrate how life events, historical events, social change, and individuals’ involvement affect experiences of social dance through life. The study also highlights experiences of discontinuity caused by social change, i.e. changes in the social world of folk park dance. By combining the life course perspective with assumptions from the serious leisure perspective the study contributes to research discussions about the need to contextualize the serious leisure perspective.