Questioning Our Past and Building a Future: Teacher Education in Dance for the 21st Century

Through description, historical autobiography, and reflection, the author charts for readers an experiential archive of postsecondary dance education during the past three decades. She begins with the state of the field before 1980, looks at how the world has changed since then, and questions the extent to which the field has changed in response. She wonders how the perceived need for constant advocacy might have kept the field from rigorous self-examination that is critical for continued growth. Through asking difficult questions and thinking critically about her answers, the author examines positions and practices from the past, including methodology, content, standards, and assessment, and re-evaluates them in light of 21st-century changes and challenges. In revealing how one individual has navigated some critical issues in dance education over a long career, this article demonstrates how change can occur on the microlevel.