Dance education in the twenty-first century has started to shift with the evolution of contemporary dance techniques and the introduction of more holistic somatic practices into dance training. Nowadays, the idea of developing 'professional self-sufficiency' is at the heart of the learning experience for young dancers. We believe that in response…

This article reflects on the ways in which socially engaged arts practices can contribute to reconceptualizing the contemporary modern dance technique class as a powerful site of social change. Specifically, the author considers how incorporating socially engaged practices into pedagogical models has the potential to foster responsible citizenship…

The importance of reflective practice is frequently noted in the literature; indeed, reflective capacity is regarded as an essential characteristic for professional competence. The ability to think about why and what one does is critical to intelligent practice, practice that is reflective rather than routine. In recent years, higher education…

This study focuses on current developments in Higher Dance Studies in Spain. The proposal for a "Taller de Prácticas Docentes" [Teaching Practice Workshop,or TPD by its Spanish acronym] carried out at the Higher Dance Conservatory of Alicante (Spain) and implemented as a pilot experience at this centrebecame our research point of…

This paper critically discusses an investigation into approaches to teaching and learning strategies with first-year undergraduate students studying dance in a Higher Education context. The authors investigate a pedagogical practice of using a flipchart to embed reflection as a shared activity as an integral part of studio practice. This study…

The questions that this paper poses are placed at the intersection of a Liberal Arts approach to education and the pedagogy of traditional Indian dance forms. These questions are explored through my ongoing pedagogical experiment with teaching the art of "abhinaya" in the university classroom. This paper charts the journey of exploring…

Reflection is not a new concept in the teaching of higher education and is often an important component of many disciplinary courses. Despite this, past research shows that while there are examples of rich reflective strategies used in some areas of higher education, most approaches to, and conceptualisations of, reflective learning and assessment…

This article discusses some of the ambiguities related to the concept of reflection in education, and presents an alternative approach for determining the focus and quality of students' reflection. Accordingly, the focus of reflection can vary from a concrete technical aspect of an experience to the broader societal context of that experience, and…

Despite tertiary institutions acknowledging that reflective practice is an essential component of undergraduate dance teacher training, there is often a disparity between the tertiary students' reflective skills and the more sophisticated reflective ability needed to navigate the twenty-first-century workforce. This paper charts the evolution of a…

This qualitative case study examines the exemplary teaching approaches of an expert Korean dance educator who has been teaching beginning dance classes in higher education. The expert dance educator, possesses 28 years of teaching experience in higher education, is the recipient of a national award, is actively involved in professional activities,…