Abstract
This paper discusses the development of an interdisciplinary undergraduate course called Feminism, Dance and The Body: Identity, Performance, Movement and Transformation. The course was designed to use body-based, experiential methods of inquiry for taking up the central question: How can movement practice and the study of dance be channeled to spark re-imaginings of the complex intersectional dimensions of bodies? By investigating concepts from dance studies and critical feminist scholarship, students in the course analyze and disentangle binaries of gender, sex, race, class, sexuality, and dis/ability that continue to shape embodied experiences across many cultures in the 21st century. Through participation in physical movement activities designed to clarify feminist intersectional theories of embodiment, students have the opportunity to deepen their insights about diverse identities, resistance, and agency in the context of social change. The course design demonstrates how various learning modalities that can be accessed through dance (i.e., material, sensory, cognitive, affective, and relational) can enliven academic approaches to studying the body and embodiment. Observations by the course instructor and analysis of students’ written reflections and final projects highlight how experiential movement contributes to expanding understanding of the multiple and overlapping meanings of bodies. The study invites contemplation of how dance and movement practice can be integrated into other academic contexts to make learning more dynamic and impactful.
Presenters
Lisa SandlosPostdoctoral Researcher, Child and Youth Studies, Brock University, Ontario, Canada
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
Dance, Movement, Embodiment, Feminism, Pedagogy, Education
