Untangling Intersections of Diverse Indigenous Heritages in Dance Education: Echoes, Whispers and Erosion in the Creases

Abstract

In Untangling intersections of diverse indigenous heritages in dance education: Echoes, whispers and erosion in the creases, Linda Ashley examines the intersections that arise when Western dance education engages with dances from diverse indigenous heritages. Ideologically, this pedagogy embraces a sense of altruism where the individual learner’s well-being, creativity, ownership and the ‘whispers’ of future growth are valued. Highlighting culturally different understandings of key pedagogical concepts, this chapter is also relevant for dance educators who are charged with fostering learning in 21st century diverse classrooms globally. In untangling how the heritage and ideology underpinning dance education creases with Oceanic and other indigenous heritages, the possible effects on and potential for erosion of indigenous dances are explored. The chapter considers how dance education could grow its current praxis in order to accommodate contrasting pedagogical beliefs. Emerging from the untangling, a suggestion for a teaching strategy based on examples of Māori contemporary dance is provided.