PhD Research


Ethical issues in the Training and Development of Dance Teachers in the Private Sector


photo of Sho
I am currently writing up my PhD thesis entitled “Ethical Issues in the Training and Development of Dance Teachers in the Private Sector”. The project considers evidence for the widely voiced claim that dance teaching and particularly the private dance teaching sector has rejected the traditional, overly authoritarian ‘teaching by terror’ methods in a move towards more ethical teaching practices. Qualitative research methods including written statements, video interviewing and autoethnography were used to gather data about past and recent dance teacher experiences of learning to dance and learning to teach. The purpose and influences of codes of ethics, conduct and practice on current dance teaching practices is explored in some depth. An aim of this project is to raise awareness of the need for the private dance teaching sector to commit to ethical dance teaching practices.







Professional Dancers Ethics and Safety Survey

This survey is now closed. Thank you to everyone who completed it.
Details about where the findings will be published will be posted here is due course.

Calling all professional dancers - you are invited to contribute to this new research project by completing an anonymous, online survey about your experiences of working as a professional dancer in the dance profession. This is your opportunity to share your experiences and say what it is really like. The survey takes about 5-10 minutes to complete. Please click the logo below for more information and to take the survey.


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Sho is part of the international, multi-disiplinary, team carrying out the Professional Dancers Ethics and Safety Survey. The survey will be available online until 31 August 2009. The collected data will then be analysed and the findings written up for possible publication and conference presentations.