Dance and Belonging

Employing social science research, this book details how bias affects the brain, perception and decision-making, identifying how these factors manifest in dance. Centering the author’s experience as a researcher, educator and lifelong dancer, it applies social psychology to the events, communities, and teaching strategies in dance classrooms.

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This book details how bias affects the brain, perception and decision-making--and identifies how these factors affect the field of dance. It applies social psychology to the events, communities, and teaching strategies in dance classrooms of all sizes and age ranges.

Using critical theory as a framework, chapters define implicit biases and explore the power dynamics on and off the dance floor. Various examples of bias in dance education are examined in detail, as are the ramifications of prejudice and inequity. The book sets out the mechanisms that both exacerbate and disrupt the effects of biases, ultimately exploring practiced solutions for addressing bias in the dance classroom. It is intended to inspire dance students, teachers, administrators and arts stakeholders to begin new conversations that will allow dance classrooms to become more welcoming, inclusive spaces.