This research aims to analyse the role and consequence of state patronage and promotion of Thai classical dance after the revolution of 1932, when the patronage of court dance changed from royal to state support. This research examines connections between the authority of the state, nationalism, Thai identity, and the invention of tradition, by focussing on the reconstruction of Thai classical dance, the promotion of spirituality in the Wai Khru ceremony, and dance pedagogy. This study uses historical research and ethnography through participant-observation, and interviews with senior dance teachers, national artists, masters of the Wai Khru ceremony, and dance artists in the Fine Arts Department, and also draws on the researcher’s personal experience in dance training as a dancer and dance teacher for several years. The thesis offers a detailed analysis of the socio-political context and cultural policy in relation to the establishment of the Fine Arts Department and the Dramatic Arts College; the national institutions whose main roles were to preserve, perform and offer training in traditional dance. After the revolution of 1932, the Fine Arts department played an important role to authorise, preserve, and standardise Thai classical dance. The function and meaning-making processes surrounding dance changed in accordance with the development of Thai identity and cultural policy. During the period 1932-1945, state policy emphasised the homogeneity of ‘Thai-ness’ and civilization, and traditional dance was adapted and combined with classical, folk and western elements. However, after the mid-1940s, the socio-political and cultural policies changed; the state operated the project of cultural revivalism. The court dance style and its rituals were revived with the establishment of a code of ‘classicalism’ which became the central aesthetic identification of Thai identity. The newly-coined classicalism has become the standard, and has been passed on to succeeding generations in the new educational system. These new invented traditions were preserved as if they were sacred, a practice which continues to the present.

Vaikų ir jaunimo kultūrinio ugdymo koncepcijoje teigiama (2008), kad mokyklose, kurios skiria daugiau dėmesio kultūriniam ir meniniam ugdymui, aktyviai kūrybinei ir praktinei mokinių veiklai, išauga mokymosi motyvacija, pagerėja psichologinė mokymosi aplinka, sustiprėja bendruomeniniai ryšiai. Mokiniai kur kas geriau įsisavina įvairių dalykų mokomąją medžiagą, tampa patrauklesnis pats mokymosi procesas, atsiranda papildomų sąlyčio taškų su realiu gyvenimu ir kultūrine aplinka (2008). Akivaizdu, kad meninis ugdymas mokykloje yra svarbus ne tik ugdant mokinių meninius gebėjimus, bet ir kuriant mokyklos kultūrą, o šokio pamokose sukurtos sąlygos, gali suteikti mokiniams galimybę patirti džiaugsmą, susijusį su kūrybinės iniciatyvos, saviraiškos atskleidimu. Pagrindinio ugdymo šokio bendrosiose programose (2008) akcentuojami įvairių žanrų (liaudies, pramoginio, klasikinio, šiuolaikinio, breiko ir kt.) šokio žingsniai, jų deriniai, šokiai ar jų fragmentai. Nors klasikinis šokis ir yra paminėtas šokio ugdymo programose, tačiau nėra aišku, ar jis yra mokomas bendrojo lavinimo mokyklose. Daugiausia šokio ugdymo srityje yra akcentuojamas lietuvių liaudies sceninis šokis ir tik kartais užsimenama apie klasikinį (baletą). Taigi, kodėl klasikinio šokio mokymo galimybė bendrojo lavinimo mokykloje yra labai maža, nors šio žanro mokymas yra naudingas mokinio asmenybės tobulėjimui, lavina kūno laikyseną, ugdo kantrybę ir ištvermę, todėl klasikinio šokio mokymas bendrojo lavinimo... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Children and youth cultural education concept states (2008), that schools which focus more on cultural and artistic education, active students' creative and practical activities, increase their learning motivation, improve the psychological learning environment, as well as make community relations stronger. Students master educational materials for various subjects, much better the learning process becomes more attractive, that results in additional points of contact with real life and cultural environment (2008). It is clear that arts education in school is important, not only in developing students' artistic skills, but also in creating school culture, and conditions created in dance lessons may give students the opportunity to experience the joy associated with the creative initiative of detection of self expression. Basic dance education programs in general (2008) highlights dance steps of various genres (folk, ballroom, classical, contemporary, break, etc.), their combinations, dances or their fragments. Although classical dance is mentioned in education programs, but it is not clear whether it is taught in comprehensive schools. Lithuanian folk stage dance is mainly highlighted in teaching dancing and only occasionally it is hinted at the classical one (ballet). So why the possibility of teaching classical dance in comprehensive schools is very low, although teaching this genre is useful for students personal development, developing the body posture... [to full text]

abstract: The piece WAKE UP BREATHING holds personal significance as an investigation of thought-provoking issues of breathing through film installation, video and live performance. This research specifically addressed how breath training exercises enhance dance performance and improve a dancer’s control of their body, as well as how these exercises can function as material for choreographic inquiry. During the creation of the concert, the choreographer employed breath building exercises and applied different breath techniques with a cast of nine dancers. The choreographer and dancers worked collaboratively to develop creative material, enhance performance and help members of the audience understand why breathing in dance is so meaningful. / Dissertation/Thesis / Masters Thesis Dance 2019

The main research question of this project asks: what role does Indian classical dance play in the identity formation of second generation Canadian women of South Asian origin as they negotiate their identities as Canadians living in a multicultural country? The research question is analyzed through the theoretical frameworks of both citizenship theory, identity theory, and Bourdieu’s notions of ‘habitus’, ‘field’, and cultural capital. Semi-structured interviews are conducted with dancers of 2 main dance styles (“Kathak” and “Bharatnatyam”) and of various ages over 18. Interviews are also conducted with a dance teacher/creative director and a dance company coordinator. Findings indicate that Indian classical dance influences identity formation in 3 main ways: in the way that the participants embody the dance forms of Kathak and/or Bharatnatyam, in the way they form their identities as individuals, and in the way they form their identities as multicultural Canadians.

The main research question of this project asks: what role does Indian classical dance play in the identity formation of second generation Canadian women of South Asian origin as they negotiate their identities as Canadians living in a multicultural country? The research question is analyzed through the theoretical frameworks of both citizenship theory, identity theory, and Bourdieu’s notions of ‘habitus’, ‘field’, and cultural capital. Semi-structured interviews are conducted with dancers of 2 main dance styles (“Kathak” and “Bharatnatyam”) and of various ages over 18. Interviews are also conducted with a dance teacher/creative director and a dance company coordinator. Findings indicate that Indian classical dance influences identity formation in 3 main ways: in the way that the participants embody the dance forms of Kathak and/or Bharatnatyam, in the way they form their identities as individuals, and in the way they form their identities as multicultural Canadians.

This dissertation explores the hybrid training and performance of Chinese classical dance (gudianwu) and ballet in China’s elite dance conservatory, Beijing Dance Academy (BDA), in post-socialist China (1980 - the present). Since the establishment of BDA in 1954, the hybridity of ballet and Chinese dance has been first institutionalized in training professional Chinese dancers and has had a profound influence on the development of dance in the People’s Republic of China (PRC). After the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976) in the 1980s, many gudianwu practitioners and dance critics in PRC criticized the failure of the hybrid training and performance in promoting a unique Chinese national character. In contrast, hybrid performance practices as a means to Sinicize the Western dance form of ballet have been celebrated. To create a unique Chinese national body aesthetic, gudianwu practitioners have attempted to revive Chinese traditional culture in dance through minimizing the influence of ballet, while Chinese ballet practitioners have created ballet works incorporating Chinese stories and Chinese arts, such as gudianwu, Chinese opera, local music, and traditional costumes. Instead of considering the promotion of unique Chinese characteristics in dance as a fixed and essentialized cultural practice, this dissertation argues that the hybrid dancing bodies of gudianwu and ballet have become important sites for negotiating Chinese nationalism, modernism, and individualism within the context of globalization. In keeping hybridity and Chineseness as the two central concepts in this study, I examine three research issues: first, how ballet has shaped gudianwu classes and gudianwu dancing bodies; second, how Chinese forms, such as martial arts, Chinese opera, and Chinese folk dance, have influenced ballet training and performance; and third, how the tension and interrelationship between these two hybrid dance practices complicates the concept of Chineseness. My methodology is informed by an interdisciplinary lens that includes postcolonial cultural studies (Bhabha 1994), Chinese cultural studies (Chow 1998), and anthropological Chinese dance studies (Wilcox 2011). I apply ethnography as my primary mode of collecting data while taking the meanings, functions, and historical and cultural contexts of dance into account. As the first dissertation that foregrounds the operation of hybridity in Chinese dance and ballet, this dissertation aims to enrich the theoretical framework of postcolonial and Chinese cultural studies and contribute to a mutual understanding between Chinese and Western cultures. / Dance

Title: Elements of dance techniques in floor exercise in women artistic gymnastics Objective: The main objective of this master thesis is an analysis of elements of dance techniques in women finalists of floor exercise in all four Olympics games from 2004 to 2016. Methods: In this master thesis content analysis and observation has been used. These methods were used to collect and evaluate necessary data. Results: The results bring an overview of individual approach of floor exercise finalists of each olympic games from 2004 to 2016 to dance elements depending on selected criteria. Futhermore they also compare the overall use of dance elements in particular olympic games with others and indicate the effect of the time interval between games on the frequency of presence of dance elements in the reports. Based on the results it is possible to predict the use of dance elements in floor exersice in the future. Keywords: dance, report, classical dance, contemporary dance, jazz dance, folk dance

This thesis examines the performance of Indian classical dance in the contemporary 'diaspora space' (Brah 1996) represented by the city of London. My aim is to analyse whether and how performances of "national" art, assumed to represent an equally "national" culture, change when performed in transnational contexts. Drawing upon theories of postcolonialism, multiculturalism and diaspora, I begin my study with an historical analysis of the reconstructed origins of the dance in the intertwined discourses of British colonialism and Indian nationalism. Using this analysis to ground my ethnography of the present-day practice of the dance, I unearth its relation to discourses of contemporary multiculturalism and South Asian diasporic identity. I then demonstrate specific ways in which the relationship between colonial and postcolonial artistic production on the one hand and contemporary performances of national and multicultural identity on the other are visible in the current practices and approaches of diasporic and multicultural Indian classical dancers. My thesis advances the scholarship that has demonstrated the link between the construction of Indian classical dance and the Indian nationalist movement by highlighting particular ways in which historical narrative, national and religious identities, gendered ideals and racialised categories are constituted through, and help produce in turn, contemporary Indian classical dance practices in the diaspora. Locating my study in the UK while still accounting for the Indian nationalist aspects of the dance, my contribution to the scholarly literature is to analyse its performance in relation to both Indian and British national identity. My research demonstrates that Indian classical dance is co-produced by both British and Indian national discourses and their respective cultural and political imperatives, even as the dance contributes to the formation of British, Indian and South Asian diasporic politico-cultural identities.

The general aim of this research is the development of categories and codes (according to Saldaña's terminology, 2009) of the uses, functions and properties of the floor in dance. We have followed a methodology based on the qualitative analysis of a video corpus of dance works that were selected representive of a specific language (classical, modern and new dance) or as belonging to a particular historical moment (our research ranges from the end of the 19th century to the present), although some choreographies have also been included due to their contribution to the use of the floor in dance. In addition, this selection has been restricted by the availability of the works in video format. The final list of the works we have been analysing makes a total of 295 choreographies, 11 of which have been examined in depth so as to develop a qualitative codification. Once the categories had been established, the different aspects of the corpus of dances could be finally described and, in each category, the codes, which are the values of the dances, were also constituted. From the video-based qualitative analysis we propose different categories, grouped into three meta-categories focusing on the body techniques, the characteristics of the ground/floor, and the representation. / El objetivo general de esta investigación es el desarrollo de categorías y códigos (según la terminología de Saldaña, 2009) de los usos, funciones y características del suelo en la danza, por lo que hemos seguido una metodología basada en el análisis cualitativo de un corpus de videos de obras dancísticas, seleccionadas por ser representativas de un lenguaje concreto (clásico, moderno y new dance) o por pertenecer a un momento histórico determinado (nuestra investigación parte desde finales del siglo XIX y llega hasta la época actual), aunque también hemos incluido algunas coreografías que consideramos relevantes por su aportación respecto al uso del suelo. Esta selección también se ha visto condicionada a la disponibilidad en formato video de las obras. El listado final de obras sobre las que hemos trabajado ha sido del orden de 400 coreografías, de las cuales 11 han sido analizadas en profundidad para desarrollar la codificación cualitativa, estableciendo unas categorías de análisis que han permitido describir los diferentes aspectos del corpus de danzas, y en cada categoría, establecer unos códigos que son los valores que pueden adquirir las danzas. Este trabajo de visionado ha tenido como resultado del análisis cualitativo diversas categorías, y nos hemos centrado en las relativas al cuerpo, a las propiedades del suelo para la danza y a la representación.. / Aquesta investigació te com a objectiu el desenvolupament de categories i codis (segons terminologia de Saldaña, 2009) dels usos, funcions i caracterítiques del sòl a la dansa, per la qual cosa hem seguit una metodologia d'anàlisi qualitativa d'un corpus de vídeos de dansa, seleccionats perquè són representatius dels diferents llenguatges (clàssic, modern i new dance) o perquè pertanyen a un moment històric determinat (la nostra investigació s'inicia a finals del segle XIX i arriba fins a l'època actual), encara que també hi hem inclòs algunes coreografies que considerem rellevants per la seua aportació a la dansa en l'ús del sòl. La selecció s'ha vist condicionada a la disponibilitat de les obres en format vídeo, essent un total de vora 295 les coreografies analitzades, de les quals 11 han estat treballades en profunditat per al desenvolupament de la codificació qualitativa, constituïnt unes categories d'anàlisi que han permés descriure els diferents aspectes del corpus de danses, i establint a cada categoria uns codis com a resultat dels valors que les danses poden adquirir. Aquest treball de visionat presenta, com a resultat de l'anàlisi qualitativa, diverses categories, i la nostra investigació s'ha centrat en les que són estrictaments corporals, les referides a les propietats del sòl en relació a la dansa i les de la seua representació. / Arnal Rodrigo, RV. (2017). El suelo en la danza: uso del cuerpo y propiedades del soporte [Tesis doctoral]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/90449