Synopses & Reviews
In Researching Dance, an introduction to research methods in dance addressed primarily to graduate students, the editors explore dance as evolutional, defining it in view of its intrinsic participatory values, its developmental aspects, and its purposes from art to ritual, and they examine the role of theory in research. The editors have also included essays by nine dancer-scholars who examine qualitative and quantitative inquiry and delineate the most common approaches for investigating dance, raising concerns about philosophy and aesthetics, historical scholarship, movement analysis, sexual and gender identification, cultural diversity, and the resources available to students. The writers have included study questions, research exercises, and suggested readings to facilitate the book’s use as a classroom text.
Review
“Finally, a comprehensive and easy to read text that explains clearly the myriad approaches to dance research, and demystifies the process of scholarly writing about dance. Professional resaerchers as well as students will benefit greatly from this book no matter what aspect of dance they are writing about.
Researching Dance should be required reading for every college and university dance student.”
--Larry Lavender