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ERIC Number: EJ1348613
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2022
Pages: 12
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1529-0824
EISSN: EISSN-2158-074X
A Qualitative Investigation of What "Body Awareness" Means to Dancers at a Public Midwestern University
Baird, Emily
Journal of Dance Education, v22 n2 p71-82 2022
The following study is a phenomenological qualitative analysis of collegiate dancers' experiences with and perceptions of body awareness and somatic movement. Participants (n = 8) were trained dancers, although not dance majors. Semi-structured interviews explored what kinds of experiences dancers have had in the realm of body awareness, what their perceptions of these experiences are, and what kinds of effects they believe body awareness can have on their health and/or dance practice. Results show that participants defined body awareness as a complex process of mirroring, noticing, knowing, and controlling the body. Experiences with yoga and injury taught participants to learn more about their body's structure and limits, but formal experience with somatic movement techniques was limited. Results of this study could be used to improve dance education at the college level, advance the level of inquiry into the benefits of somatic practices, and ultimately contribute to the improved health of dancers as a population.
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Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research; Tests/Questionnaires
Education Level: Higher Education; Postsecondary Education
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A