The Messages behind the Methods: The Authoritarian Pedagogical Legacy in Western Concert Dance Technique Training and Rehearsals

: This study reveals information about the heritage of authoritarian teaching methods that is passed down in the dance field and about the possibilities for incorporating elements of the twentieth-century progressive educational thought into dance studio classes and rehearsals. To expose and investigate the roots of this disturbing pedagogical heritage and the ideologies that underpin it, a definition and exposition of authoritarian or destructive dance teaching behaviors are offered first. Next, an overview of how the dance community has responded is presented. This unmasking of dance teaching philosophies and practices can hopefully pave the way for healthier, more humane learning environments for dance students and professional dancers.