Embodying the Canadian University Dance Transition Experience: A Collective Case Study

This collective case study explores the social, psychosocial and cognitive dimensions of dance majors transition from multiple pre-university learning environments into their current Canadian university dance program. Three of Canadas largest university dance degree granting programs were chosen as field sites based on their relative size, urban location and common core curriculum of classical ballet. Delimited by the in-studio first-year experience of learning classical ballet, the study seeks to posit what stakeholders in dance and related fine and performing arts might learn from this 2011-12 cohort of Canadian dance majors in transition. The research project draws upon mainstream higher education (HE) dance and transition research to evolve a conceptual framework from which to examine this unique discipline-specific transition. The multiple disciplinary, conceptual and methodological optics address a number of notable research gaps in the HE transition and dance mainstream discourse including research on discipline-specific transitions. Furthermore the study seeks to evolve a discipline-specific language to discuss the dance majors transition experience. The project employs a qualitative research paradigm and collective case study methodology. Multiple forms of data collection include: a demographic survey of the 117 dance majors at the three sites; a series of three in-depth interviews of participants at each site; two classroom observation sessions of participants first-year university studio ballet technique class; field notes, reflective journaling, and an analysis of other documents in the form of school newspapers and university website information. Based on a comparative analysis of the projects key findings including dance majors demographic background, pre-and current university learning contexts and pre-and current university experience, a list of recommendations is offered to members of the dance education community invested in facilitating the dance transition process. The projects multi-disciplinary design, methodology, conceptual framework, and findings may also be relevant to researchers of other disciplines in which students transition from multiple, pre-university experiences such as music, theatre and/or sport.

This collective case study explores the social, psychosocial and cognitive dimensions of dance majors transition from multiple pre-university learning environments into their current Canadian university dance program. Three of Canadas largest university dance degree granting programs were chosen as field sites based on their relative size, urban location and common core curriculum of classical ballet. Delimited by the in-studio first-year experience of learning classical ballet, the study seeks to posit what stakeholders in dance and related fine and performing arts might learn from this 2011-12 cohort of Canadian dance majors in transition. The research project draws upon mainstream higher education (HE) dance and transition research to evolve a conceptual framework from which to examine this unique discipline-specific transition. The multiple disciplinary, conceptual and methodological optics address a number of notable research gaps in the HE transition and dance mainstream discourse including research on discipline-specific transitions. Furthermore the study seeks to evolve a discipline-specific language to discuss the dance majors transition experience. The project employs a qualitative research paradigm and collective case study methodology. Multiple forms of data collection include: a demographic survey of the 117 dance majors at the three sites; a series of three in-depth interviews of participants at each site; two classroom observation sessions of participants first-year university studio ballet technique class; field notes, reflective journaling, and an analysis of other documents in the form of school newspapers and university website information. Based on a comparative analysis of the projects key findings including dance majors demographic background, pre-and current university learning contexts and pre-and current university experience, a list of recommendations is offered to members of the dance education community invested in facilitating the dance transition process. The projects multi-disciplinary design, methodology, conceptual framework, and findings may also be relevant to researchers of other disciplines in which students transition from multiple, pre-university experiences such as music, theatre and/or sport.