New Book

Dance Pedagogy for a Diverse World:

Culturally Relevant Teaching in Theory, Research and Practice

Blog Post By Nyama McCarthy-Brown, Author

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Dance Pedagogy for a Diverse World: Culturally Relevant Teaching in Theory, Research and Practice, is the go-to resource for dance educators and dancers who want to explore issues of culture, race, gender, diversity, and equity in the dance classroom. In order to cover a range of topics and offer multiple perspectives, I brought various educators in the field together to provide a myriad of voices. The backgrounds of contributors range in specialty from physical practice to dance theory and included student populations from k-12 to post-secondary.

In the first three chapters, the book provides general information on culturally relevant teaching for dance. Culturally relevant teaching specifically focuses on the needs of students outside the dominant culture. However, because diversity is not only for those outside the dominant culture, the book also offers information on how to provide diverse course materials for all students. Every student can benefit from learning about the richness and value of dance forms outside their particular specialty. 

Chapter four focuses on diversifying ballet classes in teaching approach as well as content. In chapter five, the challenges of privileging Western choreographic devices are brought forth. Selene Carter and I present critical dance pedagogy (a teaching method centered around critical questions of power) as a viable option for dance-making in chapter six. In this chapter there is particular attention to working with non-normative bodies and racial stereotypes. In chapter seven, Dr. Julie Kerr-Berry employs critical pedagogy, as she addresses Whiteness in Dance History. Native American powwow dances are featured in chapter eight, written by Dr. Kelly Fayard, Director of The Native American Cultural Center at Yale College. The term “World Dance” is recognized as problematic and examined in chapter nine. This chapter can offer entry into critical pedagogy for many who are beginning to question the structures of power in dance and how they have manifested in the dance lexicon.

Bay Area artist Corrine Nagata, of Nagata Dance, shared chapter ten with Liza Kroeschell. It serves as a wonderful guide for new teachers. The chapter offers numerous tips for educators struggling with class management, or dance teachers transitioning from a conservatory setting to k-8 dance education.

Readers will find valuable resources, insights, and information throughout this text. Dance Pedagogy for a Diverse World: Culturally Relevant Teaching in Theory, Research and Practice, has something for dance educators of all ages in numerous genres, and much of the content can be applied to other disciplines in the arts.

To purchase the book, please click here.

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Dr. Nyama McCarthy-Brown is an Assistant Professor of Contemporary Dance at Indiana University. She received her BA Degree in Political Science from Spelman College in 1999 and completed her MFA in Performance and Choreography at the University of Michigan in 2003. She was awarded the Future Faculty Fellowship from Temple University in 2007. At Temple, she completed her PhD with a focus on Dance Education and Cultural Studies. 

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