Joining the Dance: Exploring Meaning-Making in Pedagogies of Restaging

This research examines how contemporary restagers conceptualize and implement restaging methods in postsecondary dance education. Through interviews with four artists actively restaging choreographic works from modern and postmodern lineages in academic settings, the study identifies meaning-making as central to restaging pedagogies. The author analyzes how these approaches respond to the evolving concert dance landscape, particularly the shift toward versatile, collaborative careers, and discusses how restaging processes can honor choreographic integrity while emphasizing community building, interpretive freedom, and creative process engagement. These methods enable students to develop unique relationships with dances of the past while building skills relevant to contemporary careers. By framing restaging approaches as a pedagogy of restaging, this research creates a pathway for deliberately using dance restaging as an educational tool that impacts curricular choices and student sense-making.