“We Were the Choreographers; the Dance Teachers Were the Helpers”: Student Perceptions of Learning in a Dance Outreach Program Interpreted Through a Lens of 21st-Century Skills

This study emerged out of collaboration between an artist-educator and a dance researcher. It explores student experience participating in a school based dance outreach program at an urban elementary school. The program is supported by a local, contemporary dance company. The artist-educator approaches teaching and curriculum with values shared by constructivist, critical, and transformative pedagogical theory. An overview of teaching practices and curriculum is presented in this article. Students’ written reflections are mined for data representing students’ lived experience in dance. Findings suggest that students practice skills and develop content knowledge that aligns with student outcomes identified as essential to 21st century learning by Partnership for 21st Century Learning. This article discusses findings in relation to Framework for 21st Century Learning as a way to bridge student learning in dance with broader educational goals and curriculum.