Dance Faculty Research Articles

I See Her Face: Expressing Gender Variance through Contemporary Dance

I See Her Face presents kinetic commentary on gender, femininity, and traditional female socialization. The piece holds a deeply introspective mirror up to the audience so that they may see the power struggle between socialization and identity. It represents the choreographic process of representing personal conflict in dance, especially regarding gender representations in traditional dance and the changing gender landscape of dance. I See Her Face is a contemporary solo choreographed on dancer Molly Bagatto by Kennedy Cole. This work was premiered at The University of Akron Dance Company’s Fall 2021 dance concert. I See Her Face was subsequently selected by dance faculty to be performed at the East-Central Conference of the American College Dance Association in March 2022 and received highest recognition from the adjudicating panel of experts.

COVID-19 Pandemic and Online Dance Education: Issues, Opportunities, and New Pedagogies

The COVID-19 pandemic forced dance faculty in higher education to urgently shift to online delivery methods. Based on interviews with various dance faculty from diverse geographical, disciplinary, and institutional affiliations, this article is a reflection on the dance pedagogy trends, issues, and concepts during the 2020 shift to virtual dance teaching and learning. This article considers difficulties that occurred in online dance education, such as health and safety issues, the complexity of navigating students’ diverse socioeconomic discrepancies and its connection to access, and the emotional and mental health toll on students of a rapidly changing arts sector. It also explores new discoveries in dance pedagogies and ideas for moving dance education forward post-COVID-19. The research brings into focus the role of technology in dance education, including its effect on teaching, embodied learning, and creative development.

Health Literacy for Collegiate Dancers: Provision and Perceptions of Health-Related Education in University Dance Programs.

Dancers have unique health issues, including high injury rates and functional, nutritional, and psychological concerns. Thererfore, developing dancers with high health literacy is crucial. This study examines 1. the types of health-related information offered in university dance programs, and 2. the perceptions of dance stakeholders (administrators, faculty, and students) toward health-related education provided to dancers in these programs. Participating stakeholders (N = 104) from 11 countries completed a web-based survey examining health-related offerings for dance students at their instituitions. Eighty-four participants (81%) indicated that health-related information was delivered at their instituition. The most commonly offered topics included functional dance anatomy (N = 82, 98%), recognizing dance injuries and illnesses (N = 66, 79%), and strength and conditioning for dancers (N = 61, 73%). Participants rated recognizing dance injuries and illnesses (N = 72, 69%), basic personal health (N = 70, 67%), and nutrition (N = 68, 65%) as the top three "extremely important" topics, even if these were not offered at their institution. Faculty and administrators reported similar attitudes toward topic importance as those reported by students. Fifty-five respondents (65%) reported textbooks were used to deliver health-related information, and content was also provided via journal articles (N = 58, 69%), organizational web sites (N = 39, 46%), and social media (N = 16, 19%). Reported barriers to providing adequate education included lack of dance faculty expertise to deliver course content (N = 7) and receiving care from practitioners lacking in knowledge of dance medicine (N = 5). Participants generally agreed that making health-related information available was important, and 81% of respondants indicated that it was formally offered at their institution. Variability was noted regarding topics rated "highly important," as compared to which topics were already provided. These findings offer insight into the current status of health-related education provided to dance students and can be used to improve curricula in university dance programs.

Identities, academic cultures, and relationship intersections: postsecondary dance educators’ lived experiences pursuing tenure

ABSTRACT The political hierarchies and assumptions built around tenure and promotion processes across U.S. postsecondary institutions are fraught with complexities and have a significant effect on eventual outcomes. A tenure case’s success or failure could depend on many factors, possibly including circumstances out of a candidate’s control such as the institution’s geographical location, dominant cultures and systems in operation, ineffective mentorship, unclear policy, and, most relevant to this article, faculty members’ identities. Faculty who hold minority or underrepresented status in relation to race, ethnicity, gender expression, sexuality, social class, age, or ability can face marginalization, bias, and work responsibilities unrelated to professional goals and personal needs. In this article, I describe how tenure-track dance faculty perceive their experiences working toward tenure through analysis of 50 participant survey responses. The participants’ interpretations of how power, privilege, and identity affect(ed) their paths to tenure highlight problematic, sometimes discriminatory practices in academia and provide rich ground for cultivating improved mentorship practices and creating institutional and departmental policies that promote diversity, inclusion, and equity, while also supporting each individual’s strengths and goals. Further, the participants in this study offer useful strategies for understanding and/or establishing work–life balance, setting boundaries, and prioritizing tenure responsibilities.

PARTICIPANTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF A COMMUNITY-BASED DANCE PROGRAM

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a progressive disease that targets many aspects of the nervous system, both motor and non-motor functions. Dance as an intervention provides a creative outlet that can be more motivating than other interventions by allowing people an opportunity for not only increased movement and activity, but also socialization. Creative expression through dance also has the potential to improve not only motor capabilities like balance, but also non-motor aspects like self-efficacy, cognition, and quality of life. For the community program described in this presentation, dance faculty led the dance and choreography components of the program while an occupational therapist (OT) served to maximize options for adaptations, safety, and accessibility. OT faculty also led efforts in gathering and analyzing data regarding community participation and program design utilizing a qualitative approach by conducting semi-structured interviews with five participants (four with PD, one with hydrocephalus, all over age 65) in the program. Content analysis of the data suggests some emerging themes which include: 1) forming common bonds and making friendships within the class due to PD diagnosis and similar enjoyment of the class, 2) increased appreciation and enjoyment of music, 3) appreciation of dance instruction, and 4) how transportation options, or lack thereof, impact participation in the class. These themes will assist in informing future program delivery with the hopes of reaching a larger contingent of the community who may also be interested in dance.

Dance Education Certification in Alabama

ABSTRACT The 2001 reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act defined dance as an art form, designated the arts as core academic subjects, and called for highly qualified instructors in every classroom. These developments provided new opportunities for dance faculty in higher education preparing their students for life after college. Using a case study approach, the author investigated how postsecondary dance programs in the state of Alabama responded to changes in public policy. Informed by the theoretical lens of Anthony Giddens (1984) and the conceptual frame of Lee Bolman and Terrance Deal (2008), the study uncovered issues related to dance education programming and certification in the state of Alabama.

A delicate balance: how postsecondary education dance faculty in the United States perceive themselves negotiating responsibilities expected for tenure

ABSTRACT Discussions about tenure among postsecondary education dance faculty elicit a spectrum of perspectives and emotions ranging from excitement to confusion to fear. Faculty carefully weigh the potential for academic freedom and job security against the sometimes unclear and potentially unreasonable expectations regarding how to achieve tenure. These issues are complicated by how the mission of each institution – identified as either research driven, teaching focused, or community minded – affects the requirements for tenure and, thus, the make-up of professors’ dossiers. Analysis of published scholarship and 41 survey responses of faculty working in higher education dance programs across the US reveals how some tenure-track dance faculty experience working to achieve tenure. I argue that postsecondary tenure-track dance faculty create innovative strategies to achieve tenure, meet their career goals, and aim for balance in their work and personal lives. By highlighting the participants’ experiences, I shed light on some of the issues tenure-track dance faculty face. Further, this study’s emerging ideas may bring dance faculty more clarity and direction as they work toward or mentor those on their way to academic tenure.

Tenure Trials in Postsecondary Dance: The Basics of Your Case

ABSTRACTReceiving tenure is among the most visible and valued symbols of achievement for university and college faculty in dance and dance education in the United States. At the same time, the tenure and promotion process is well known for its numerous and confusing guidelines and procedures, especially in the arts and dance, which often do not clearly align with traditional academic disciplines. The authors (1) share the stories of recently tenured dance faculty and those who mentor junior faculty on the tenure track, (2) deconstruct the tenure process to bring greater clarity to the ins and outs of attaining tenure and promotion, and (3) provide insights and advice from senior dance faculty from diverse types of institutions and program sizes. The first of two articles devoted to this topic concludes with a number of recommendations and suggestions.

Artists as Scholars: The Research Behavior of Dance Faculty

The research behaviors and library use of dance scholars are widely unknown, particularly in regard to issues of access to historical materials and new technology preferences. In the past thirty years, college and university dance departments in the United States have developed into independent, research-based programs. Despite the lack of current research examining the information needs of dance scholars, academic librarians must support the performance, research, and pedagogy of these programs. Interviews with dance faculty from three diverse institutions of higher education provide exploratory data about these scholars’ research needs. This qualitative study provides context for dance faculty experiences as both artists and teachers.

Leadership Narratives in Postsecondary Dance Administration: Voices, Values and Gender Variations

ABSTRACTDance in the U.S. university finds its beginnings in the visionary leadership of women. Since the mid-1910s, dance faculty and students in higher education have been predominantly female. Gender in postsecondary dance today remains much the same, with the exception of dance leadership, which is increasingly male. This narrative inquiry is drawn from a mixed-method study (n = 75) that examined the lives of administrative leaders—defined as chairs, directors, heads, or coordinators—who lead departments or programs of dance in colleges and universities in the U.S. The purpose of the exploratory investigation was to develop a status report drawn from quantitative survey data and qualitative interview narratives of administrators in postsecondary dance with particular attention to gender. This inquiry focuses on representative data of nine participants from the larger study. Findings are presented on participants’ leadership approach; support for work; work–life balance; and research, creative activity and teaching. Gender implications are discussed.

Artists as Scholars: The Research Behavior of Dance Faculty

The research behaviors and library use of dance scholars are widely unknown, particularly in regard to issues of access to historical materials and new technology preferences. In the past thirty years, college and university dance departments in the United States have developed into independent, research-based programs. Despite the lack of current research examining the information needs of dance scholars, academic librarians must support the performance, research, and pedagogy of these programs. Interviews with dance faculty from three diverse institutions of higher education provide exploratory data about these scholars’ research needs. This qualitative study provides context for dance faculty experiences as both artists and teachers.

Performance on the Eve of Negro Spring

taisha paggett’s work includes individual and collaborative investigations for the stage, gallery, and public sphere, which question the body, agency, and the phenomenology of race and gender. Her work has been presented widely, including the Studio Museum in Harlem, Danspace Project, and the Whitney Museum (NY); Defibrillator (Chicago); The Off Center (SF); Public Fiction and LACE (LA); and BAK (Utrecht). She has worked with David Roussève, Stanley Love Performance Group, Fiona Dolenga, Vic Marks, Kelly Nipper, Meg Wolfe, Ultra-red, and with Ashley Hunt on their project On Movement, Thought and Politics. paggett is on the dance faculty at UC Riverside, and is co-instigator of itch dance journal.

A Set of Descriptive Case Studies of Four Dance Faculty Members' Pedagogical Practices

ABSTRACT Dance faculty members come from a variety of backgrounds, which lead to varied knowledge bases and varied teaching practices. More information is needed about the current pedagogical practices of higher education dance faculty. This study sought to provide a description of four faculty members' pedagogical approaches to a dance technique class in a higher education dance department. Participants were studied through qualitative methods including interviews, observations, and document analysis. Five major themes emerged from the data: desire to teach, teaching focus, challenging students, instructional methods, and assessment strategies. The results provide information about current practices of these four faculty members, and although not necessarily universal, these findings could prove useful for future research concerning dance pedagogy.

Dancing Deans: Dance Educators Move into the Executive Ranks

ABSTRACT Until the 1960s, dance faculty spent considerable time and energy justifying the field as an academic pursuit separate from physical education and equal to other arts disciplines, leaving them little time to move into the executive ranks of academia. By the 1990s, with the increased stability of dance in higher education, several dance educators moved into positions of dean, provost, and vice president, breaking this “glass ceiling.” This study is an initial look at four women who were able to move beyond their single-discipline responsibilities to join the ranks of executive administrators, requiring a vision of dance in relationship to and in competition with other academic disciplines. Methodology followed oral history techniques, using interviews concerning career pathways and choices. The author ends by asking how the field might consistently address the education and mentoring of administrators through formal curricula.

A Realistic Look at Graduating Dance Majors: Problems and Solutions

My life in dance has had its share of indecision, relocation, changes in direction involving two returns to school, and many years of living poor. The circuitous route I took to stay in the field made me into entrepreneurial artist and teacher and finally, a member of a university dance faculty. I wanted to live outside New York City and have a “professional” career in modern dance, and as a result, my path has involved figuring things out as I went along: learning what was necessary to make a journey full of twists and turns, even though it was not always easy to see where the next step should take me. Financially, the desire to dance trumped any economic ambitions, but even so, the difficulties and the lack of encouragement for artists in this culture—especially dancers—often made life hard, although I did have the benefit of family support in the early years. In this article I am suggesting that we break down the barriers between the academy and the real world in a serious way, by teaching what we know about staying in the field in spite of the twists and turns life provides. Before they leave our care, we do our best to thoroughly prepare our dance education majors for work in the schools. I think we need to give young artists more preparation than simply learning to dance.

Infrastructure for Data Storage and Computation in Biomedical Research

Infrastructure as a service (infrastructure which is offered to customer in the form of service of the provider) is a deployment model which allows utilize data and computing capacity of a cloud as a set of virtual devices and virtualized machines. Infrastructure as a service can be offered separately to each project. The same capacity of connected physical machines and devices can be shared. Currently, the concept of an Infrastructure as a service is tested on several projects within activity of the CESNET association, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague and Musical and Dance Faculty of Academy of Performing Arts in Prague. The current research in the field of computation physiology is demanding on a high computation capacity. The computation tasks are distributed to computers, which are provided by the infrastructure. The project in the field of the analysis of a human voice is demanding on high throughput of a computer network between an acoustic or video device on the local side and an analytic application on the remote high performance server side. This paper describes features and main challenges for infrastructure dedicated for such a type of an application. Infrastructure as a deployment model of cloud computing might be beneficial for a multi domain team and for collaboration and integration of a high specialized software application.

Teaching Electrocardiogram Basics Using Dance and Movement

To implement and assess an innovative approach to teaching electrocardiogram (ECG) rhythms using dance and movement. Recognition of ECG rhythms was taught to a group of third-year pharmacy students using dance and movement via collaboration with a dance faculty member. A control group was taught using traditional pharmacy lecture and PowerPoint slides. A pretest and posttest were administered to both groups. There was a trend in test score improvement in the dance and movement group. After the sessions, a focus group was held to assess student perceptions using qualitative methods. Students thought the addition of dance helped them with speed of retention and recognition of ECG rhythms. Some students reported feeling out of their comfort zone. Interprofessional collaboration between pharmacy and dance faculty members resulted in an innovative teaching methodology for ECG rhythms that increased test scores.

Effects of Plyometric Training versus Traditional Weight Training on Strength, Power, and Aesthetic Jumping Ability in Female Collegiate Dancers

While the benefits of traditional strength training for dancers has been examined, no such investigation has been performed for plyometric training. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the effects of plyometric training and traditional weight training on aesthetic jumping ability, lower-body strength, and power in col-legiate dancers. Eighteen female dancers who were enrolled in a minimum of one intermediate or advanced ballet or modern class at Skidmore College volunteered to participate in the study. Twelve subjects were randomly assigned to a plyometric (n = 6) or traditional weight training (n = 6) group. The remaining six subjects served as a self-selected control group. The plyometric group performed 3 sets of 8 repetitions of 4 different lower-body plyometric exercises twice a week. The weight training group performed 3 sets of 6 to 8 repetitions of 4 lower-body isotonic exercises twice a week. The control group refrained from all forms of strength training. Each subject maintained her normal dance classes throughout the six week intervention. All subjects were tested prior to and following the six-week training period. Testing consisted of assessments of jumping skill and lower-body strength and power. Strength was assessed via 3 one-repetition maximum tests: leg press, leg curl, and leg extension. Power was assessed with a Wingate anaerobic power test and vertical jump height tests. Aesthetic jumping ability was assessed via an evaluation by dance faculty at Skidmore College on ballon, jump height, ability to point the feet in the air, and overall jumping ability. There were no differences in the descriptive measures of jumping ability, strength or power among the groups at the start of the study. The plyometric group significantly increased leg press strength (37%), standing vertical jump height (8.3%), and aesthetic jump height (14%). The weight training group significantly increased leg press strength (32%), leg curl strength (23%), mean anaerobic power (6%), aesthetic jump height (22%), and aesthetic ability to point the feet in the air (20%). No significant changes were seen in the control group. The results of this study indicate that either plyometric training or traditional lower-body weight training can be useful in improving variables applicable to dance. This study also supports the notion that short-term dance training alone may not be sufficient to elicit improvements in these variables.

Techniques and Institutions: The Transformation of British Dance Tradition through South Asian Dance

In 1998, the Imperial Society of Teachers of Dancing (ISTD) created a South Asian Dance Faculty, expanding its range of dance styles for examination. The added imports of Bharatanatyam and Kathak are classical Indian dance forms which have transformed the face of British dance despite their relatively short history here. Inclusion of the new forms was initiated by Akādemi, a British South Asian dance organisation, with funding from the Arts Council of England. Delving beyond ISTD’s response to the increasing multi-cultural face of British society, the organisation’s expansion opens avenues of inquiry into the relationship between dance techniques and British institutions. Fundamental dichotomies arise in considering identity and tradition in relation to the location and function of South Asian dance in Britain. How does the addition of South Asian dance fit into the stated mission of the ISTD? And how does the ISTD fit into the South Asian dance community and the larger context of a mainstream arts community? Other relevant issues concern the extent to which classical South Asian dance forms are culturally specific and their modification to fit within an ISTD curriculum. Questions on the location and function of the art forms exist within broader fundamental debates centring on the definition of the term ‘British’ – whose version of identity is invoked by the name? And while definitive answers are still elusive, issues of agency arise in considering the transformation of British dance. Interviews with members of the ISTD South Asian Dance Faculty and research collected in the Leverhulme Trust South Asian Dance in Britain project are drawn on to examine the impact of South Asian dance on a British dance identity.

Juilliard: a history

In this first comprehensive history, Andrea Olmstead takes us behind the scenes and into the practice rooms, studios, and offices of one of the most famous music schools in the world. The roster of Juilliard faculty and their students reads like a veritable who's who of the performing arts world. The music school has counted Josef and Rosina Lhevinne and Olga Samaroff Stokowski among its faculty, with students including Richard Rodgers, Van Cliburn, James Levine, Leontyne Price, Miles Davis, and Itzhak Perlman. The dance faculty has included Jos Limn, Anna Sokolow, and the venerable Martha Graham, while such bright lights as Robin Williams, Kevin Kline, Patti LuPone, and Mandy Patinkin have emerged from the youngest department in the school, the Drama Division. What is it really like to be immersed in the rarefied, ultra-competitive conservatory atmosphere of Juilliard? Olmstead has pored over archival records and ephemeral material and conducted dozens of unprecedented interviews to paint a true picture of the school's private side and the accomplishments and foibles of its leaders. Through its various incarnations as the Institute of Musical Art, the Juilliard Musical Foundation, the Juilliard School of Music, and The Juilliard School stormy directorships and controversies have left their mark: Augustus Juilliard's multi- million-dollar bequest in 1919, the expensive move to the Lincoln Center complex, and dozens of episodes of power-brokering, arrogance, intimidation, secrecy, and infighting. Balanced against these are the vision, dedication, talent, and determination of generations of gifted teachers, students, and administrators. For nearly a century, Juilliard has trained the artists who compose the elite corps of the performing arts community in the United States. Juilliard: A History affirms the school's artistic legacy of great performances as the one constant amid decades of upheaval and change.