dance degree dissertation ideas

Ph.D. IN CRITICAL DANCE STUDIES

The Ph.D. in Critical Dance Studies (formerly the Ph.D. in Dance History and Theory) at UC Riverside supports the pursuit of innovative research in the field of cultural, political, and historical studies of dance. Inaugurated in 1993, the program is widely recognized as the preeminent site for intellectual inquiry into dance, corporeality, movement, choreography, and performance.

UC Riverside’s Department of Dance features an outstanding faculty of nationally and internationally recognized scholars and artists. The Ph.D. program’s explicit focus on dance studies and large concentration of Critical Dance Studies faculty distinguish it from doctoral programs in performance studies, theater studies, and cultural studies. At the same time, the program is committed to interdisciplinary models of dance scholarship that draw on a variety of methodological and theoretical approaches. Our Critical Dance Studies Ph.D. program is equally distinct for the close relationship it maintains with the students and faculty in the M.F.A. program in Experimental Choreography, inaugurated in 2001.

In their scholarship, Critical Dance Studies faculty engage with critical race theory, feminist studies, gender and sexuality studies, political economy, and performance studies. They employ methods including embodied research, choreographic analysis, oral history, dance ethnography, critical theory, and archival studies. Faculty research continually expands the field of Dance Studies while also contributing to fields such as American Studies, African American Studies, Latin American Studies, Hip Hop Studies, Indigenous and Decolonial Studies, as well as South Asian and South Asian Diaspora Studies.

Our Ph.D. students pursue an equally extraordinary diversity of research agendas. Some recent projects have critically analyzed Contemporary Dance at the U.S.-Mexican Borderland; Jewish-ness, Dance, and Humor; Raqs Sharqi in Cairo; Amateur Ballroom Dance in Mormon and Same Sex Communities; White Christian Dance in the U.S.; Ongoing Indigenous Dance Practices; Black Concert Dance in Montréal; Bharata Natyam in Sri Lanka; Concert Dance and/as Autobiography; Black Concert Dance and Masculinities; Second Lines in New Orleans; Female Lion Dancers in Chinatowns; Histories of Dance, Food, and Audience Engagement; Dance, War, and Repetition; Modern Dance and Yoga Histories; Tango and Neoliberalism; and Ballet and State Power in Ukraine.

Graduates have gone on to secure full-time academic positions nationally and internationally at schools such as UCLA, Florida State University, University of Florida, Davidson College, Colorado College, Bowdoin College, University of Minnesota, University of Illinois, University of Nebraska, Rutgers University, University of Washington, California State University Long Beach, Elon University, University of Kansas, York University (Canada), Middlesex University (UK), University of Surrey (UK), University of Malaya (Malaysia), University of Malta (Malta), and Taipei National University of the Arts (Taiwan).

Course Work

The core curriculum, normally to be completed in the first two years of residency, includes the following:

Dance 239: Introduction to Graduate Study of Dance Dance 254: Political Approaches to Dance Studies Dance 255: Historical Approaches to Dance Studies Dance 257: Rhetorical Approaches to Dance Studies Dance 258: Cultural Approaches to Dance Studies

Students must also take “Dance 301: Seminar in Dance Studies Pedagogy and Professional Development” plus six additional graduate-level courses: two from other disciplines related to the student’s research interest, and four from Dance. A maximum of one Dance M.F.A. core course may be included as one of the four additional graduate-level dance courses required.

Language Requirement

All students must show competence in at least one language other than English. Further requirements in specific forms of dance or music notation or ancient or contemporary languages may be determined for each student in consultation with relevant faculty and the graduate advisor of the program.

Written Qualifying Examination

Students must prepare one field for examination with each of four members of the committee in whose courses the student has completed degree requirements. The committee is composed of two Dance faculty members, one of whom is chair, and two other members who may be Dance faculty or “outside members” (not a UCR Dance faculty member or cooperating faculty member). The written qualifying examination may be completed as a “take-home” format (seven-day, open-book) or a “sit-in” format (two-hour exam periods for each field, conducted on site in the department, and completed in one five-day work week).

Qualifying Essay

One quarter after successfully completing the written examination, students complete a rough draft of the qualifying essay, under the direction of the same group of faculty members who monitored the written examination. Students finalize the qualifying essay and sit for the oral examination before the end of the following quarter. The qualifying essay is generally 25 pages in length and demonstrates the student’s ability to articulate a viable dissertation research project. It must consist of written work but may include other forms of video or film productions with the approval of the relevant committee and the graduate advisor.

Dissertation and Final Oral Examination

A dissertation committee is composed of three members: a chair from Dance, a Dance faculty member, and either a Dance faculty member, or an outside faculty member. The committee directs and approves the research and writing of the dissertation. The dissertation must consist of written work but may include other forms of video or film productions with the approval of the relevant committee and the graduate advisor. It must present original scholarly work and be approved by the dissertation committee before the student takes the final oral examination. Students must have satisfactory performance on a final oral examination, conducted by the dissertation committee and open to all members of the faculty. The examination emphasizes the dissertation and related topics.

Normative Time to Degree

Normative time toward the completion of the Ph.D. in Critical Dance Studies degree is 18 quarters.

Applicants to the PhD program in Critical Dance Studies must meet the general requirements for admission to the Graduate Division .  Please note: as of Fall 2020, GRE scores are no longer required for admission.  It is recommended that applicants take the GRE if their GPA is below a 3.0.

The UCR application for admission to our PhD program requires that applicants provide the following: 

I. Statement of Purpose (~ 1-2 single spaced pages)

Think of this as your research statement. Describe as clearly and cogently as possible your current research interests and your proposed focus for your doctoral work. Also, describe your background relevant to the project (e.g. prior research, familiarity with Dance Studies or adjacent fields, embodied knowledge, etc.), what you believe qualifies you to undertake this research, and what contribution your research might make and/or what gap it fills. Finally, address why you believe your research pursuits are well suited for UC Riverside’s Department of Dance.

II. Statement of Personal History (~ 1-2 single spaced pages)

Think of this as a statement that addresses how your personal background informs your decision to pursue a doctoral degree in Critical Dance Studies. 

This can include discussions of:

• your personal and/or professional background as relevant to your application, including any educational, familial, cultural, economic, or social experiences, challenges, or opportunities relevant to your academic journey;
• any dance or movement practice in which you have a depth of experience or knowledge;
• any relevant teaching experience or preparation for teaching movement practice and/or dance studies;
• how you might contribute to social or cultural diversity within your chosen field; and/or how you might serve educationally underrepresented segments of society with your degree.
• any relevant information that illuminates your interest in UCR’s Ph.D. program.

Please note: Because the Graduate Division application portal limits Personal History and Purpose statements to 3000 characters if submitted via the text box, applicants are requested to follow the Department’s suggested page length guidelines and upload their statements as Word or PDF docs instead.

III. Writing sample (~ 8-25 double-spaced pages)

Submit a writing sample that best exemplifies your preparedness to undertake doctoral research in Critical Dance Studies. If you choose, you may submit more than one writing sample up to 25 pages, with at least one full length paper of 8-10 pages. 

IV. If you are a domestic student, be sure to complete the “Supplementary Fellowship Application” if you wish to be considered for full fellowship funding.

V. Three letters of recommendation and university transcripts. Letters that testify to your academic preparedness are preferred.  

Applications will be reviewed on the basis of clarity of ideas, creativity in thinking, preparedness for the project, strength of the letters of recommendation, and overall fit in the program.

Applicants are required to file an official application electronically to the Graduate Division. All completed applications that are received by January 5th will be considered for priority funding.

Financial Support University of California, Riverside offers support in the form of Fellowships and Teaching Assistantships for the most highly qualified applicants. Financial aid for graduate study at UC Riverside is competitive, and is based on needs as well as merit. Students are encouraged to find alternative sources of financial support from grants and fellowships, from foundations, and in their respective countries. To be competitive for fellowships, application before January 5 for entrance for the following Fall Quarter is expected. Applications received after January 5 will be considered up to February 15.

Faculty Graduate Advisor Jacqueline Shea Murphy , She/Her/Hers Professor ARTS 205 [email protected]

Graduate Coordinator Hannah Braund, She/Her/Hers ARTS 128 (951) 827-3944 [email protected]

Links Courses Apply Graduation Procedures and Deadlines Petitions and Forms Faculty Current Ph.D. Students Alumni Ph.D. Dissertations Dance GSA

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Preserve Work in the DELRdi

Preserve dissertation or thesis work in the delrdi.

NDEO invites submissions of dance education thesis or dissertations to the Dance Education Literature and Research descriptive index (DELRdi). The DELRdi database is designed to house citations for all available dance education research and literature published from 1926 onward. Dance education researchers are encouraged to share their thesis or dissertation citation and full-text link, if available, for preservation in the index. By submitting your thesis or dissertation, you will help build knowledge in the field and ensure that dance educators have access to your work for use in their own research, creative, and teaching practices.

Submit Thesis or Dissertation Here

Examples of Thesis Work in the DELRdi

• Author(s): Freeman, Jazmine R.
• Document Type: Thesis
• Institution: Mills College
• Publisher: Proquest
• Location: Proquest Number: 28497650. https://www.proquest.com/openview/6e714be53e3600a8a18a5242c8c597fa/1.pdf?pq-origsite=gscholar&cbl=18750&diss=y
• Author(s): Fegley, Laura Elizabeth
• Institution: Evergreen State College
• Location: http://archives.evergreen.edu/masterstheses/Accession89-10MIT/Fegley_LMIT2010.pdf
• Degree: MAT
• Page(s): 152
• Author(s): Hann, Virginia Louise
• Instituion: Washington State University
• Location: Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164, University of Oregon Microfiche
• Author(s): Stupp, Lillian Laura
• Instituion: University of Wisconsin, Madison
• Location: University of Wisconsin Library, 728 State St., Madison, WI 53706 (Call #: AWM .ST958

Examples of Dissertation Work in the DELRdi

• Author(s): Enloe, Emily Irene
• Document Type: Dissertation
• Publisher: Edinburgh University Press
• Location: http://www.proquest.com/docview/2659600869
• Degree: Ed.D
• Author(s): Huang, Sue Ann
• Institution: University of Washinton, Tacoma
• Location : https://digitalcommons.tacoma.uw.edu/edd_capstones/49/
• Page(s): 201
• Author(s): Gamboian, Nancy
• Insitution: University of Oregon
• Location: University of Oregon Knight Library, Eugene, OR 97403.  UMI Proquest Digital Dissertations #9738707
• Author(s): Worthingham, Catherine
• Institution: University of Southern California
• Location: University of Southern California Library
• Degree: DMA

Access DELRdi Online Here

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Exemplary student research

Recognition by the Faculty of Education for exemplary student research.

Philip Nind Awards for outstanding undergraduate dissertations

This award is given to undergraduate dissertations that demonstrate qualities above and beyond the parameters of undergraduate expectations.

An investigation into whether the study of dance as adaptation has the potential to enrich and extend adaptation studies, with reference to Christopher Wheeldon’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (2011). Author: Siobhán Sexton, BA(Hons) Ballet Education Graduate, 2016.

The Body in Performance: Challenging the conventional performing body and valuing contributions of the ageing body. Author: Ann-Kathrin Ullmann, BA(Hons) Ballet Education Graduate 2015.

Effective Training for Professional Dancers in 21st Century Australia: A critical analysis of a professional training model for Australian dancers that incorporates liberal arts education. Author: Alicia Hodges, BA(Hons) Dance Education Graduate 2013.

Author: Sarah Iles, BA(Hons) Dance Education Graduate 2012.

I feel differently but I don’t know why: A phenomenological study of ballet and contemporary dance classes. Author: Simone Mousset, BA(Hons) Ballet Education 2011.

Agon as a link metaphor between music and dance in Agon (1957). Author: Rania Leontiou, BA(Hons) Ballet Education 2010.

Exemplary postgraduate research

Helen linkenbagh, master of teaching (dance) graduate 2015.

Latching to music: The role of applied musical knowledge in the acquisition of classical ballet technique

This research project explored ways in which ballet teachers may use applied knowledge of musical elements as a tool in facilitating the acquisition of technical skill in classical ballet.

The aim of the research was to employ musical understanding as a method of enhancing a dancer’s ability to perform with and communicate appropriate artistic and aesthetic qualities. The conceptual framework for the project arose from notions of latching to music and encompassed ideas about musical affordances, musical entrainment and dynamic forms of vitality. These concepts were integrated into tasks that were enacted within a classical ballet training context to investigate ways in which attuned musical responses may extend bodily agency in profiling and facilitating movement.

The findings provided preliminary evidence that enacting forms of embodied knowledge of musical structures in classical ballet classes can constitute a participatory process whereby the dancer, in response to constitutive tools afforded by the music, produces an inherently musical dance. This dance, whether explicitly aligned with the musical accompaniment or otherwise, can, with targeted attention in the integration of musical information, take on what we may view as a musical shape or structure of its own in terms of energy, force, rhythm, phrasing, space and dynamics. These notions challenge traditional views of the unilateral, supportive role that music plays in classical ballet classes in proposing that aspects of the musical accompaniment may be more actively embodied in facilitating the dancer in experiencing a dance as an energetically independent musical entity.

Aadya Kaktikar, Master of Teaching (Dance) graduate 2015

Dancing in-between Spaces: An auto-ethnographic investigation into the pedagogical shifts of the learning and teaching of Odissi within Higher Education in India

This research project developed out of a critical reflection of my position as a dance teacher in one of the first Liberal Arts universities in India. The scope of the project emerged out of the negotiations that facilitated the migration of the dancer (myself) and the dance, from the drawing room of the guru to the studios of a School of Humanities and Social Sciences. The trajectory of this transition was mapped in this qualitative, mixed methods research project in terms of teaching methods and the learning outcomes of my Odissi class at the university.

The project examined my class in the context of extant traditional dance pedagogy shaped within a complex framework of understandings around Indian culture and tradition. Driven by questions and issues around my own identity as an Indian classical dancer, this auto-ethnographic study drew out the contours of the relocation by highlighting the personal narratives of those who participated in the class. As Odissi re-positioned itself as an academic discipline in an undergraduate Liberal arts programme, this project critically analyses the emergent pedagogical stance that enabled it to do so.

It also examined how the confluence of two different pedagogical approaches; that of the critical thinking in the Liberals arts and submission and immersion in the traditional arts, created the possibility for the students of transcending boundaries and creating a space for a vibrant engagement with the idea of tradition.

Research output

Kaktikar, aadya. “dancing in-between spaces: an auto-ethnographic exploration of an abhinaya class”. research in dance education , 15 february 2016., lee davall, master of teaching (dance) graduate 2013.

Developing two leadership skills of listening and providing constructive feedback through peer assessment strategies amongst a cohort of Key Stage 3 students in a secondary school

Developing leadership skills is a growing concern in education for the schooling of 21st-century students. There is a lack of research examining how peer assessment strategies can improve student leadership skills. Most initiatives have been aimed at the gifted and talented students to enhance leadership skills. This dissertation focuses on developing two leadership skills (amongst a group of secondary school students): listening skill and the skill of providing constructive feedback through peer assessment strategies. This dissertation adopted a qualitative interpretive perspective to analyse the primary data collected from student questionnaires, teacher-researcher reflective diary and semi-structured interviews.

The findings provide information on the teacher-researcher’s and students’ perceptions of using peer assessment strategies of checklists and „what went well/even better if‟ to improve student leadership skills. The main conclusion drawn from this research was students‟ ability to listen and provide constructive feedback improved. Furthermore, within the context of this research it was found that students being given the opportunity to lead sections of lessons could have a positive influence on their ownership of learning. The research emphasizes the importance of further study investigating how to improve leadership skills through different assessment strategies.

NDTA Conference Paper “Developing Leadership Skills: Becoming constructive at KS3 – Sharing of the MTD705 findings”, November 2015

Co-presenter with fiona brooker at harris federation teaching and learning conference, march 2016., carly murphy master of teaching (dance) graduate 2013.

How can the utilisation of dance techniques and movement vocabularies enhance the creative processes in choreographic practice?

This action research project explores the relationship between dance technique and choreographic practice for enhancing creativity in Key Stage 3 (KS3) Dance. The notion of creativity is explored from a pedagogical perspective, balancing the relationship between the individual, the domain and the environment (Craft 2000) as a means of promoting authenticity, divergence and originality in students’ work. By engaging students in dance technique as a basis of experiential knowledge, they have the potential to develop an enriched physical literacy (McFee 2004; Whitehead 2007) which can inform their choreography. The project considers how this increased sense of bodily knowledge can result in increasing students’ awareness of their capacity for movement, improve their dance skills and develop a heightened sense of self, which can contribute to enhancing creativity.

Qualitative data gathered from students’ experiences during an 8-week choreographic project identifies how knowledge transformed through perception and experience can reveal an increased sense of flow (Csikszentmihalyi 1997) and confidence in a student’s approach to dance tasks which resulted in a noticeably enhanced creative response. Reflecting on the outcome of the findings suggestions are made to identify the potential for developing a dance pedagogy which encourages somatic principles as a way to develop embodied knowledge. There is a need to re-evaluate the importance of emphasising the role of bodily knowledge in the dance curriculum in order to balance its creative, aesthetic and artistic aims and to enhance the role of the individual in these processes.

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What Moves You?

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Every dissertation is individual and unique - particularly for dance students, who must combine a wide range of approaches into a tailor-made research methodology.

What Moves You? fosters a creative approach to dissertations and final projects. By guiding the development of a personal study program, this volume encourages dance students to take ownership of their artistic and academic work, a skill essential both to successful undergraduate study, and to making the first steps towards a career in dance.

Rather than propose a prescriptive, step-by-step mantra, Charlotte Nichol and Lise Uytterhoeven draw upon contributions from students, teachers, examiners and practitioners to broaden the notion of ‘research’ and demystify the purpose of the dissertation.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Chapter | 5  pages, introduction, chapter 1 | 19  pages, designing your research project, chapter 2 | 18  pages, anchor points in your learning process, chapter 3 | 22  pages, thinking on your feet: the research process, chapter 4 | 22  pages, outward facing: presenting and communicating the research, chapter 5 | 9  pages, beyond the dissertation, into working life.

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• Doing Dance

Dance dissertation advice

By Clarkd3 September 14, 2019 in Doing Dance

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Hi any thoughts on a dissertation subject that is loosely based around the benefits of dance teaching to students but with a particular slant that’s not been done to death before like the elderly or mental health

Thank you in advance 😊

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Jan McNulty

Probably too obvious but the benefits to children - team working, respect, health, fitness, work ethic, social side...

Impact on academic classroom attainment for those doing dance training? Several teachers have remarked to me that they can tell which children take dance classes. Coincidence? 

Resilience and growth-mindset .... ability to learn from criticism (and rejection - lots of 'no's in the ballet world!).

Mummy twinkle toes

For mental health and learning disabilities you can look at the benefits of dance therapy.

For elderly you can look at the benefits of remaining active eg; keeps brain focused and joints supple. Any exercise is beneficial-plenty of research to support. The RAD launched Silver Swans for older dancers. Other benefits include being able to meet other people. One of the biggest mental health issues today is loneliness which contributes to anxiety and depression. With many budget cuts, elderly people have lost access to day centres so being able to access dance classes can fill a void.

On 14/09/2019 at 15:55, Clarkd3 said: any thoughts on a dissertation subject that is loosely based around the benefits of dance teaching to students

This sounds more like an affirmation, than an actual argument. You need to reframe your interest as an hypothesis around which you can gather evidence. So starting by saying the benefits of dance teaching isn't an hypothesis as such.

In order to find something that 'hasn't been done to death' you need to do a LOT of reading around your broad topic. This will take time, and you will do what my less successful students call "wasted" reading. It is not wasted - you need to know the broad outlines of the field of your topic, and the chief researchers and scholars in the field. 

An undergraduate dissertation doesn't need to be "original" (that is the central criterion for a PhD) but it must be independent.

One way to approach this is to think about examples of dance practice you have undertaken or observed. For a dissertation presumably to be written this year (your final undergrad year, I'm assuming), you can't rely on practical work you've done in the past, but you could extend or develop this in this year. Can you sit in on "Dance for Parkinson's" sessions, for example? You won't be able to do that for dance therapy as that is confidential therapy work. Or what about thinking about areas that aren't dance as such, but areas of practice which are influenced by dance?

But whatever you do, you need to have a body of primary source materials - that is, direct evidence of direct work, not just a series of summaries of what others have said. 

And my serious advice (25 years of supervising dissertations in this broad field) is that primary evidence in these sorts of areas is very difficult for undergrad students to get access to. How are you going to prove the benefit? Do you have statistics training? Or training in questionnaires or ethical clearance for talking to students about their perception of benefit? These are all serious and weighty questions.

In short a dissertation can't just be a statement or affirmation of what you believe. It must be an argument , supported by your gathering together and analysis of the evidence, including counter-evidence.

My daughter started ballet in January at 5yo (year 1, summer birthday), at the time she was really struggling with school (she doesn't process things very quickly and we suspect dyslexia), since starting ballet though she processes things far more quickly, her spelling in particular has gotten much better and she concentrates far easier. She really loves ballet (she decided after about 2 lessons that she was going to be in the Royal Ballet when she grows up - no other company will do xD )

Obviously this is anecdotal but the changes in her academically and in her confidence were incredible once she started ballet, it could be interesting to focus on if you can find others have had similar experiences

12 hours ago, Kate_N said:   This sounds more like an affirmation, than an actual argument. You need to reframe your interest as an hypothesis around which you can gather evidence. So starting by saying the benefits of dance teaching isn't an hypothesis as such.   In order to find something that 'hasn't been done to death' you need to do a LOT of reading around your broad topic. This will take time, and you will do what my less successful students call "wasted" reading. It is not wasted - you need to know the broad outlines of the field of your topic, and the chief researchers and scholars in the field.    An undergraduate dissertation doesn't need to be "original" (that is the central criterion for a PhD) but it must be independent.   One way to approach this is to think about examples of dance practice you have undertaken or observed. For a dissertation presumably to be written this year (your final undergrad year, I'm assuming), you can't rely on practical work you've done in the past, but you could extend or develop this in this year. Can you sit in on "Dance for Parkinson's" sessions, for example? You won't be able to do that for dance therapy as that is confidential therapy work. Or what about thinking about areas that aren't dance as such, but areas of practice which are influenced by dance?   But whatever you do, you need to have a body of primary source materials - that is, direct evidence of direct work, not just a series of summaries of what others have said.    And my serious advice (25 years of supervising dissertations in this broad field) is that primary evidence in these sorts of areas is very difficult for undergrad students to get access to. How are you going to prove the benefit? Do you have statistics training? Or training in questionnaires or ethical clearance for talking to students about their perception of benefit? These are all serious and weighty questions.   In short a dissertation can't just be a statement or affirmation of what you believe. It must be an argument , supported by your gathering together and analysis of the evidence, including counter-evidence.    

Thank you, that’s really helpful x

13 hours ago, lilyflower said: My daughter started ballet in January at 5yo (year 1, summer birthday), at the time she was really struggling with school (she doesn't process things very quickly and we suspect dyslexia), since starting ballet though she processes things far more quickly, her spelling in particular has gotten much better and she concentrates far easier. She really loves ballet (she decided after about 2 lessons that she was going to be in the Royal Ballet when she grows up - no other company will do xD )   Obviously this is anecdotal but the changes in her academically and in her confidence were incredible once she started ballet, it could be interesting to focus on if you can find others have had similar experiences

Hello Lilyflower and welcome to the Forum!

Yep, I’d second this, my DS is left handed and also on the dyslexic spectrum and has benefited no end from the discipline and precision of classical ballet. He used to be quite a clumsy child and is now quite graceful. I’d say his concentration has improved and he’s doing much better at school now. Happy to chat if you need any participants... 👍 👍

These anecdotes are interesting, but can't be used in a university dissertation!

1 hour ago, Kate_N said: These anecdotes are interesting, but can't be used in a university dissertation!

From a psychological perspective, I can see possibilities of using a narrative/social constructionist approach to research into how parents perceive the benefits of dance training for their children. This could certainly involve a handful of in-depth interviews ...... but I don't know if this type of research is what the OP is able to undertake to satisy the requirements of their degree.

I did a research paper on whether research from education on parental engagement affecting attainment could be applied to the private sector dance. While researching I found a few companies who engage the whole family through dance, and research that suggested shared activities improved relationships? 

While I didn’t conduct any research I did link to my own pedagogic practice and considered ways to utilise the findings through my reflective journal. 

17 hours ago, glissade said: This could certainly involve a handful of in-depth interviews ...... but I don't know if this type of research is what the OP is able to undertake to satisy the requirements of their degree.

Sometimes my students come up with this sort of research method, but a problem arises if there hasn't been specific training in interviewing and qualitative research. As  you know, there are specific - and quite high level - skills involved. And those skills are not usually taught in a performing arts/dance degree  - we're too busy covering discipline specific content and skills!

At my place, this kind of research would also require ethical clearance, and quite a lot of secondary source reading in sociological research methods.

Just tagging on to @Bluebird22 's post - this is a more nuanced way of doing the kind of research the OP seems to want to do. My only problem with this - as a dissertation supervisor - is, as Bluebird says, that there's no body of primary source material to analyse.

Wow.  I wish I'd known all this when I was doing my dissertation - it would have been much more helpful (my "dissertation supervisor" having gone on sabbatical during the vital final term)

I began the thread to help my DD as she was struggling with a suitable topic to focus on.

Reading all your anicdotes was fascinating to hear what we all know! My DD hasn’t made any decisions on what type of research she wants to do, it was simply to gather ideas and I’m sure she will be well supported by her tutors during the process!

Feel free to carry on posting any ideas though, it’s all interesting stuff! 😊

• 4 weeks later...

Michelle Groves

Being aware that I may be accused of being flippant, my advice would be to avoid this topic altogether as you may be on a  hiding to nothing unless you have been thinking about the topic for the last couple of years, and been gathering information along the way.  By asking your question my initial response is that you aren't really invested in the topic.

My advice to undergraduate dissertation students is to keep it simple. After all, you only have a few months to get it all together.   Some of the best dissertations I have supervised, moderated etc. have been on topics which, on the surface, might appear simplistic or 'easy' (e.g. looking at reviews of a dance work by different dance critics across different decades - do you see what I see?, or the impact of different forms of feedback on a student's self concepts - thus, teachers needing to be aware of the effect of feedback on students, and strategies which students can draw on in mitigating negative impact).  The success indicators of these 'simple' dissertations were robust research questions, lines of enquiry which were critical and challenging, a methodological framework which was informed and credible, and identification/justification of emerging messages/trends.  I'm sure your  Supervisor will advise accordingly.

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Library Dissertation Showcase

An investigation into primary dance education and how it aids the development of key skills, alongside the national curriculum in british primary schools.

• Freya Elizabeth Burns
• Year of Publication:
• BA (Hons) Dance

Throughout this research project, the researcher will explore how dance can provide transferable skills to children in British primary schools. The chapters of this thesis will focus on the key themes and theories: pedagogy, social constructivist theory, transferable skills, the National Curriculum and continuing professional development. Each topic will be discussed chapter by chapter to discover how valuable transferable skills are to children and their importance to a child’s development through their early life.

The nature of the project allowed the researcher to conduct both primary and secondary research with a secondary research literature review dominating each chapter, with the penultimate chapter being the primary research findings of the research. Primary research was conducted by distributing a questionnaire to current primary school teachers. This research will focus on epistemology and ethnography of the research sample, and their experiences teaching in primary schools.

The project allowed the researcher to conclude that transferable skills built through dance in primary schools can be effectively transferred into different areas to aid the development of children throughout their educational journey. With the support of the other subjects in the National Curriculum, skills can be built in multiple different ways, and participants agreed that dance can be a valuable way to build key skills in a creative setting. The findings of the research suggested that teachers believed that dance is a key subject within the curriculum that blends both creativity and physicality. However, due to the primary research sample being specifically primary school teachers, they may not have any dance experience which may alter the reliability of the primary research.

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Dissertations and Theses

The dissertation is the culminating project for the PhD in Theatre and Performance Studies. A formal proposal for a dissertation should be submitted for the endorsement of the Graduate Faculty. See the department's  Graduate Student Handbook  for proposal instructions. The Graduate Faculty will review the proposal. Sample proposals are on file in the department or by contacting the Director of Graduate Studies.

We welcome projects that include archival research, ethnography, critical theory, literary analysis, and performance studies. Dissertation work begins in the third year of the PhD program and is typically completed in a student's fourth or fifth year in the doctoral program.

Recent Dissertations and Theses

2023 – dissertations.

" Relajo y Joteria: Reimagining Family, Devotion, and Desire through the work of Teatro Alebrijes, 2011-2022 " ( Javier Hurtado )

"Who’s That Girl?”: Women Writing Women on the Broadway Stage " ( Jess Pearson-Bleyer )

2022 – Dissertations

" Americanizing Shakespeare in Print: Nineteeth Century American Illustrated Editions of Shakespeare as Representations of National Identity " ( Hesam Sharifian )

"New Game+: Memories Made in Virtual Worlds " (Peter Spearman)

2022 – Theses

"Balancing and Bending in Bling: The Aesthetics of the Acrobatic Latina Athlete" (Amelia Estrada)

“Perform Falling: Reframing Chinese Rural “Left-Behind” Children” (Wenxuan Xue)

2021 – Dissertations

"Cosmopolitan Performance and Its Ecologies in Interwar Shanghai" (Yizhou Huang)

"Defiant Acrobatic Bodies: Gender in the Performance of Ground Acrobatic Acts from the Inception of the Modern Anglo Circus" (Amy Meyer)

"Performing History in North Tulsa: Black Wall Street and the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre" (Tara Brook Watkins)

2021 – Theses

"Processing the Pain of Others: Witinessing Semana Santa Penitents in Taxco Through Procession" (Whitney Brady-Guzmán)

"[W]righting the Highway: Black Counter-Maps and American Interstates" (Jenny Henderson)

2020  –  Theses

"Theatre in the Time of Cholera: Health, Medicine, and The Physician's Role on the American Stage 1832-1883" (Mia Levenson)

"Phantacamp: Queer Temporal Ruptures in the Performance of Restaged Camp" (Jo Rezes)

2019 – Dissertations

"Beyond Dahomey: The Legacy and Afterlife of the Williams and Walker Company 1902-1921" (Beck Holden) (Pat King) "Directing btween the Lines: Iranian Theatre and the Aesthetics of Ambiguity" (Reza Mirsajadi) "Homing a Turkish Diaspora: Turkish-American Women's Creative Labor" (Irem Seçil Rell Sen) "Inspiration, Countercultural Aesthetics, and Dissent: The Ilklhom Theatre of Mark Weil" (Irina Yakubovskaya) "Theories for Corporate Theatre" (Michael Morris)

2019 – Theses

"'ENOUGH OF THIS I'M NOTE LATINO ENOUGH BULLSHIT' The Social Re-Evaluative Eroticisms of Afro-Latinx Identities in U.S. Pop Culture" (Stephanie Engel)

"In Solidarity: Queer Appalachia's Zine Activism and the Radical Aesthetics of Homemaking." (Harry Hoke)

2018 – Dissertations

"An obvious caricature: The Consequences of Scientific Discourse on Theatrical Madness, 1807-1895" (Katherine Swimm) Brief Deceptive Rainbows: Cultural Memory in Productions of Tennessee Williams's  The Glass Menagerie ,  A Streetcar Named Desire , and  A Cat on a Hot Tin Roof  (Daniel Ciba)

2018 – Theses

"But What if Instead We Imagine Black Life" Femininity, Performance, and the Black Lives Movement (Teri Incampo) The Man Within: Depictions of Blackness in Superhero Adaptations” (Peter Spearman)

2016 – Dissertations

"Black or Red? The Construction of Identity in Langston Hughes' Plays" (Katya Vrtis) "Forgotten Figures: The Rhetorical Function of Tecmessa, Chrysothemis, and Ismene in Tragedies of Sophocles and Selected Adaptations" (Tiffany Pounds-Williams) "Theatre of Common Sense: Ernie McClintock, Jazz Acting, and the Black Power Aesthetic (1965-2003)" (Ibby Cizmar)

2016 – Theses

"'Am I Not A Woman and A Sister?' Performance as Political Discourse in African American Women's Literary Societies" (Jenny Herron) "Staging as Youth Culture in Colonial-Modern Shanghai: Student Theatre from the 1890s-1920s" (Yizhou Huang)

2015 – Dissertations

"American Billing: Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Shakespeare" (Danielle Rosvally) "The American Pipe Dream: Drug Addiction on Stage 1890-1940" (Max Shulman) "Arab and Muslim American Female Playwrights: Resistance and Revision through Solo Performance" (Megan Stahl) "Freaks, Beasts, and Gadgets: Performing Order and Disorder in Early America" (Matthew DiCintio) "Constructing the Sensorium: Neoliberalism and Aesthetic Practice in Neoliberal Theatre" (Paul Masters) "Cultural Improvisations: Luigi Riccoboni and the Nouveau Theatre Italien" (Matthew McMahan) "Documenting Rehearsal for Revolution: Theory, Practice, and Praxis in Theatre of the Oppressed" (Betsy Goldman)

2015 – Theses

"'Of Thee We Sing:' Microhistories of the Northeastern United States through the Lens of American Folkloric Opera" (Christian Krenek) "Spectrums of Truth: Transcribing Reality in the Documentary Musical" (Reza Mirsajadi)

Search the Archive

Dissertations and theses by our graduate are catalogued in the  Dissertations & Theses @ Tufts University  database. In the "Advanced Search" option, search for "drama" in the "Department – DEP" category.  Dissertations & Theses @ Tufts  provides full text for:

• Most PhD dissertations issued after 1996
• Most master's theses issued after 2005

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Rachael 'Raygun' Gunn says criticism over Paris Olympics performance is 'pretty devastating'

By Michael Doyle

Topic: Sport

Raygun's performance drew international attention after the breaker performed a kangaroo hop and other moves during her routine. ( Getty Images: Ezra Shaw )

Australian Olympic breakdancer Rachael Gunn has made her first public statement since the Paris Olympic Games.

Gunn was criticised for her performance in breaking, with allegations she was mocking the sport.

What's next?

The Australian Olympic Committee demanded an online petition calling for accountability over Gunn's selection for Paris 2024 be removed.

Australian Olympic breakdancer Rachael Gunn has called for an end to the "pretty devastating" reaction to her performance at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

Raygun, the breaking name of Australian academic and B-Girl, was maligned for her performance last week during breaking's Olympic debut.

There have been allegations that the Australian was mocking the sport , while footage of her moves has gained notoriety on social media.

In her first statement since the Olympics, Gunn said she gave her all in the Olympics and was shattered by the backlash she has received.

"I just want to start by thanking all the people who have supported me, I really appreciate the positivity and I was glad I was able to bring some joy into your lives — that's what I hoped," she said in a video posted to her Instagram page.

"I didn't realise that that would also open the door to so much hate which has frankly been pretty devastating.

"While I went out there and had fun, I did take it very seriously. I worked my butt off preparing for the Olympics and I gave my all, truly.

"I'm honoured to have been a part of the Australian Olympic team and to be part of Breaking's Olympic debut."

Raygun was defeated in all three bouts at the Olympic Games, failing to secure a single vote from any of the judges.

On Thursday, the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC) demanded the removal of an online petition that called for "immediate accountability and transparency" over Gunn's selection.

The AOC wrote to change.org, stating the petition had "stirred up public hatred without any factual basis".

The petition has reportedly been removed.

One suggestion made in the petition was that more talented breakdancers were overlooked for the spot on the Olympic team. The petition was also critical of Australian team chef de mission Anna Meares.

"In regards to the allegations and misinformation floating around, I'd like to ask everyone to please refer to the recent statement made by the AOC as well as the posts on the Ausbreaking Instagram page as well as the WDSF Breaking for Gold page," Gunn said.

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"Everyone has been through a lot as a result of this so I ask you to please respect their privacy."

AOC chief executive Matt Carroll said those who signed the online petition should apologise to Gunn and Meares.

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"Maybe have a think. There is always opportunity to use social media for good and say sorry to Rachael and Anna."

Carroll said the AOC had been in touch with Gunn to ensure she was coping.

"Some of my crew — because I've been on the plane coming home — have been in contact with her … in the early hours of this morning," he said.

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The ABC of SPORT