What is Dance Research?

Dancing

Reflecting on our experience

Creating ways to move

Contributing ideas

Thinking, writing, editing

Reading

Discussing

Being participant observers

Collecting data

Research is a crucial part of modern society, it allows us to advance our knowledge, develop ideas, theories and concepts and share them with the world. Dance has been my life's passion, and this research project has given me the tools to make use of my years of experience in a constructive way that can enhance our community.

Research can be quantitative (dealing with statistics and numbers) as well as qualitative (dealing with concepts and experiences). My research has predominantly been qualitative, exploring psychological , philosophical themes and theories related to my project (which is you, dancing with your families!). I have used ethnographic methods in the collection of the data for this project which means asking you to contribute through participation, discussions and completing questionnaires.

Dance is a broad field, encompassing everything from ballet to hip hop, choreographed to improvised, professional, structured and performative, to private, freeing and therapeutic. Dance plays a big part in our cultural experiences, and I believe it is a fundamental building block of being human. As in most fields, modes of enquiry in dance research have changed and evolved over time. The way in which dance research can be presented and evaluated can now take the form of written analysis, performance, video and more.

My corner of the dance world - dance and movement for the wellbeing of families, children and those who are neurodiverse or disabled - has been all about researching the knowledge we acquire through the moving our bodies. It's been fascinating understanding the theories that underpin how your dancing in my sessions affects you, your family and the relationships between you.