Literature Relating to my Lines of Inquiry.

I have begun to research and develop my possible lines of inquiry further, by finding appropriate literature to help with my research. 

Using Google Scholar, I was able to find some really interesting articles relating to my lines of inquiry.
I chose to focus on three of my six questions, and find three pieces of corresponding literature.

1. Are dancers educated properly on healthy eating eating and nutrition?

'Between Scylla and Charybdis. Nutritional education versus body culture and the ballet aesthetic: The effects on the lives of female dancers', T. Benn, D. Walters- Research in Dance Education, 2001- Taylor & Francis.

http://eprints.bham.ac.uk/285/2/benn_RDE_2001.pdf

This study investigates whether improved education for dancers about nutrition has made a positive change to the body culture of the ballet world and lifestyle of female dancers. Here, an interpretive, critical research approach was used to maximise the 'insider perspective' of the researcher, who has over 20 years experience of the training and professional ballet culture.

Interview and questionnaire responses were gathered from student- dancers, professional dancers, teachers/ managers, and medics at a UK vocational ballet school and a company fed, to some extent, from that training school.

The findings indicated that there is still a gap between the rhetoric of nutritional education and the reality of the ballet world's aesthetic and practices. Whilst dancers in training were better informed, pressures related to the body inside the profession dominated attitudes and behaviour. The recommendations include a re- appraisal of the ballet aesthetic and body culture in the management of the profession and more empowerment of dancers to encourage them to question, critique and improve the culture of their art form rather than merely accept its ideals and demands.

Some of the prominent ideas and arguments resulting from this research, that stood out to me, and can be explored further were:

"In addition to the obvious technical and expressive mastery of the body, dancers also learn that controlling body shape and size is essential to success in their careers".

"There was no consensus in attitudes of students and/ or professional dancers to nutritional education, which either indicates attention to different sources or divers interpretations of information received. Nutritional knowledge levels were variable but there was a lack of awareness about risks associated with poor nutrition. this was supported by a medic with extensive knowledge of sports nutrition, who suggested that dancers' nutritional knowledge was comparatively "poor in relation to what they need and in relation to danger levels".

"All the students had received professional nutritional advice but most again considered the advice inadequate, contradictory and full of the "blindingly obvious' such as "don't drink coke and don't eat junk food". One problem identified by the medics was that specialist nutritional advice was required by the dancers and rarely available.


2. Are dancers given enough support and guidance on furthering their careers?

'The next step- career transitioning for professional ballet dancers', Hannah Bulkley, 2014.

https://scholarsbank.uoregon.edu/xmlui/bitstream/handle/1794/18472/Hannah_Bulkley_mastersresearch2014DB.pdf?sequence=1


This research project examines the resources and support services available to professional ballet dancers on the West Coast of the United States who are interested in transitioning into other fields after their performing careers are over. It covers who provides these resources, whether it is the ballet company the dancer is employed by or by a third- party organization. It considers whether the size of the ballet company has any influence on its ability to support dancers looking into this transition.

Although this research focuses on ballet dancers, and those based in the United States, it can be related to some of my ideas behind my question are dancers given enough support and guidance on furthering their careers?

The prominent idea of this research is that while existing professional support seems to be limited, a review of professional literature reveals the field is growing, and the concern of dancers transitioning into other fields and careers after their performing careers is being addressed.

Articles mentioned in the research, focus on college program initiatives and how they can be tailored specifically to dancers. They include:
'College Programs for Professional Ballet Dancers: The Impact on Career Transitions' (Hamilton, Bristow, & Byars, 2002)
'Reflections on a Degree Initiative: The UK's Birmingham Royal Ballet dancers enter the University of Birmingham' (Benn, 2003)
'Access and Innovation: A Degree Program for Professional Dancers in Transition' (Lamoreaux & Taylor, 2008)
'Integration of a Professional Dancer into College' (Pulinkala, 2011).

These articles can be researched further, in relation to my line of inquiry.

3. Should dance teachers be allowed to physically correct students?

'A Postpositive Approach to Teaching Dance: A study on Dance Pedagogy', H Wasserman, 2013. 

http://kb.osu.edu/dspace/bitstream/handle/1811/54663/Wasserman_Distinction_Paper.pdf?sequence=1

I found this paper by Hannah Wasserman interesting. She researches the methods used to teach dance, and although it is not specific to the issues surrounding physically correcting children in dance, it can be beneficial in researching the basic benefits to physically correcting students.

Some of Hannah's objectives of the research were to explore the appropriate student- teacher relationship, and to find the best way to deliver corrections and constructive criticism. By looking into these ideas further, they can be used as a basis to my line of inquiry.