The Impact of Sexuality in Contemporary Culture: An Interpretive Study of Perceptions and Choices in Private Sector Dance Education

The ways in which seven private sector dance professionals in the United States perceive the impact of sexuality in contemporary culture and the choices that they make for their own schools of dance because of these perceptions are explored. This study was conducted through in-depth interviews and a survey instrument. The participants' narratives reveal an understanding of sexuality in contemporary culture evident in five important themes: the commerce of private sector dance education, parental expectations, the absence of commercial choices in costume and music selection, private sector notions of childhood, and age-appropriate movement. The findings of the study indicate the significance of approaching long-standing pedagogical contentions with a new, responsive vision that focuses attention squarely on healthy children, adolescents, and young adults. Understanding sexuality in contemporary culture is necessary in order to successfully negotiate parental expectations, economic forces, and cultural pressures encountered in private sector dance education.