ERIC Number: EJ1400027
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2023
Pages: 9
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-1529-0824
EISSN: EISSN-2158-074X
Available Date: N/A
"In the Land of Dance": Unpacking Sexualization and the Wellbeing of Girls in Competitive Dance
Journal of Dance Education, v23 n3 p234-242 2023
In many dance competitions in North America, performances of sexualized choreography have become normalized. One result is that bodies of girl dancers are increasingly constructed as sexual objects. Sexual objectification is highly problematic for the development of girls' self-identities, body image, psychological health, and overall wellbeing. Based on feminist perspectives on the body and data from feminist ethnography, this article investigates how objectification of young, female bodies in dance is reinforced through embodiment and repetition of sexualized movement and how it can negatively impact identity development and wellbeing. This research emphasizes that social-cultural processes of sexualization acting on the bodies and lives of young girls who dance should be of concern to all dance educators and privately-operated studios and suggests strategies for cultivating resistance and alternative approaches.
Descriptors: Dance Education, Females, Sexuality, Human Body, Dance, Motion, Well Being, Self Concept, Social Influences, Gender Issues, Feminism, Competition
Routledge. Available from: Taylor & Francis, Ltd. 530 Walnut Street Suite 850, Philadelphia, PA 19106. Tel: 800-354-1420; Tel: 215-625-8900; Fax: 215-207-0050; Web site: http://www.tandf.co.uk/journals
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: N/A