Digital technology in the tertiary dance technique studio: expanding student engagement through collaborative and co-creative experiences

Digital technology has long been integrated into the mainstream learning environment in a variety of ways from basic teaching delivery tools to specific courseware; however, it has struggled to make an impact in the dance technique studio. Despite the enthusiastic and alacritous integration of digital technologies within the repertoire and choreographic teaching and learning environments, training within dance technique remains heavily reliant on real-time engagement in experiential learning. Drawing from action research, this paper will discuss a project, which explores the use of digital technology within teaching and learning activities, to enhance student engagement with progressive assessment tasks. This research addresses the role of technology within the tertiary dance technique studio to reposition students’ relationship to embodied learning, skill acquisition, and reflection with a view to supporting greater alignment between current trends in the professional dance industry, dance education, and broader arts sector.