East Asian Students’ Experiences of Learning Dance/Movement Therapy in the US: A Phenomenological Investigation

Abstract

This phenomenological study aims to explore the lived learning experiences of international East Asian dance/movement therapy (DMT) students who completed their DMT training in the United States (U.S.) and then returned to their home countries. The researcher sought to explore how participants experienced their Western DMT education. Six participants were recruited from four East Asian countries: Korea, Hong Kong, Japan, and Taiwan, and participated in individual interviews. The NVivo10 software program was used as a tool to ensure efficient organization. Peer debriefing and member checking were used in different phases of data analysis to enhance internal validity. Ultimately, data analysis revealed four themes and 15 categories. The four themes that emerged were (a) challenges in DMT training in the U.S.; (b) contrasts between classroom cultures; (c) aspects that helped participants to adjust in class; (d) DMT as a catalyst for personal and professional development and growth. Each theme gave rise to its own unique categories that emerged from the process of data analysis. The findings support previous studies on culturally competent teaching and differences in learning styles. The researcher hopes that this study will contribute to the creation of a meaningful and educational steppingstone between the East and West in the DMT field.