If I am not as Good as Others: Chinese Recreational Dancers and Perceptions of Belonging in Aotearoa New Zealand

Recreational arts are significant in the fostering of an inclusive, diverse, and pluralistic society, particularly in an era of mass global migration. Community-based arts activities can provide a sense of solidarity with, and significance within, the new societies that migrants inhabit. A sense of belonging is a culturally complex understanding however, and can be informed by a migrant’s formative educational experiences from their homeland. This article therefore examines the experiences of Chinese migrants engaged in community dance classes in Aotearoa New Zealand, investigating: how can expectations of learning progression within a community dance class influence a Chinese migrant’s sense of belonging? Through a qualitative enquiry using semi-structured interviews, this study identifies how formative processes of comparison, and a clear measurement of learning progress, can influence the way Chinese migrants experience validation, and their subsequent formation of social value.