Dance and Cultural Difference in Aotearoa

“Kristie Mortimer’s monograph reveals the complexity of multiculturalism within Aotearoa dance studios and contributes to wider existing international discourses around cultural diversity and the function of dance as a social agent of transformation with pedagogical approaches to inclusion.”- Jeff Meiners, Lecturer, Arts Education Program (Dance), Education Futures, University of South Australia, Australia

“This work, which explores the ways in which the dance studio has the potential to offer an inclusive environment for all young people, offers an important contribution to the field of dance education. While the focus is on the impact of changing demographics in rural towns in Aotearoa, many of the identified challenges and recommendations in relation to equity, diversity and inclusivity are applicable to dance studios everywhere."- Norma Sue Fisher-Stitt, Professor, Department of Dance, School of the Arts, Media, Performance & Design, York University, Canada

This book provides a critical reflection on the ways dance studio teachers recognize, reflect and respond to cultural difference within their dance studio classes, particularly in the rural context in Aotearoa/New Zealand. Through dance teachers’ narratives, it reveals the complexities of multiculturalism within dance studio classes and examines related issues of inclusion and exclusion within dance education.
Understanding the dance practices provided by teachers like those in rural communities within Aotearoa/New Zealand is an increasingly urgent concern in an era of growing political, social and cultural tensions, for students and scholars of performing arts, leadership and community development. While previous research and publications have investigated cultural difference and global multicultural arts practices, this book presents a critical lens on performing arts practice and socio-cultural challenges experienced by local dance teachers within rural communities in Aotearoa/New Zealand.

Kristie Mortimer holds a PhD in Dance Studies from the University of Auckland, and was awarded the Caroline Plummer Fellowship in Community Dance 2020 at the University of Otago, New Zealand. She has worked extensively in dance education and community dance, engaging with diverse groups of people both in New Zealand and abroad. Her research utilizes ethnographic methods to explore dance education, pedagogies and practices in diverse socio-cultural contexts.