Shill, Caitlin

Ethnography of Dance Pedagogy Traditions: Chinese Dance Culture Compared to Eurocentric Dance Culture

Faculty Mentor: Marilyn Berrett, Dance

This project’s purpose was to analyze the traditions, customs and philosophies of professors at the College of Dance at Beijing Mingzu University during Brigham Young University’s China dance study abroad. Recording and analyzing their pedagogical practices informed our own theories on the optimal balance between nurturing artistic development while preserving technical traditions. The globalization of the world’s dance community has revolutionized teaching philosophies. The international standard for dance pedagogy and technique for professional dancers continues to defy preceding theories as pedagogical practices are shared and incorporated into various training systems. China has consistently produced some of the world’s best technicians after adopting the Soviet training system over 50 years ago and has since surpassed Russia’s standard for technical superiority. During our multicultural exchange we were able to observe a Chinese traditional training system in comparison to a Eurocentric training system. Through this exchange and research we identified, for personal pedagogical practices, what contributed to such superior technical achievement and what hindered the creative development of their dancers through an undergraduate perspective.

The primary collection of data occurred at the Minzu University in China. We observed professors and recorded our observations on a research template. Following the completion of our research our team organized, compiled and drew conclusions about our observations over an eight week period. We hypothesized that while the tradition of rigid classroom etiquette, technical excellence and rigorous training from early ages continues to produce some of the best technicians, there is an overall lack of creative and independent thought. Our insights served as a basis for understanding the relationship between tradition and culture in comparison to individual creative and artistic license.

China’s collectivistic values are centered on the principle that the group is more important than the individual. While the arts thrived during the Great Leap Forward in China from 1958-1961, this era of enlightenment did not last. With the reign of Mao Zedong we saw the beginning of the Cultural Revolution (1966-1976), millions suffered under his rule. The arts were starved during this period and all artistic and creative thought was censored by the communist party. Independent thought was not only politically forbidden but extinguished in dance training systems in China. This history of public and private fear for individual thought was the greatest obstacle for creative progress in dance. Due to pedagogical traditions adopted during the Cultural Revolution, China still lacks creative choreographic and artistic skills comparable to European-based training systems. During our research we observed that the majority of Minzu University professors inherited certain classroom procedures that reflected their collectivistic culture as well as the coldness of the Cultural Revolution.

It is in classroom procedures and etiquette that we gain clues into the teacher-student relationships that are so unique to China’s training system. Chinese culture’s influence became evident as rigid social conventions and a collectivistic atmosphere was adopted inside the classroom and out. Chinese dance pedagogy is centered on the perfection of the individual to attain perfection as a whole, these practices included weigh-ins, ordering of height, no mixing of age groups, all of which were based on physical aesthetics rather than talent. There is a clear priority of uniformity and aesthetic excellence. Compared to a Eurocentric training system, these practices seemed extreme. It is within this rigid discipline and mass amount of pressure placed on a dancer to be physically flawless that their technical abilities have soared. However, there was little opportunity for guided creative thought in the undergraduate classes. It became clear that the values of our training systems were the core differences. Western systems emphasize the growth and cultivation of the individual mind and Chinese training systems value the progress of the whole.

Another core difference is pedagogical allowance for teacher centered learning. This is demonstrated in the management of the classroom and explained within the terms of time. In western dance pedagogy the time belongs to the students and teacher equally. It is considered bad form for a teacher to take up excessive time talking on the condition that students remain silent and attentive. There is an equitable balance between student and teacher progression at an undergraduate level. This balance of power is based on mutual respect and mutual learning. Therefore the time is equally distributed and requires both parties consent. In Chinese pedagogy the time belongs solely to the teacher. The teacher demonstrates complete control and any time taken up by a single student is considered taking up the teacher’s time. We often observed long lectures and interruptions from guests that would be considered bad form in our culture. In Chinese theory learning is expected to stop when you become a teacher to demonstrate a mastery of your form. Artistic license is not taken, whereas in western systems dance is constantly changing and evolving with the students in the classroom. There is more allowance for teachers to participate in learning with their students and convey that they are still learning and perfecting their art in western culture.

There is power in dance pedagogical excellence, though often overlooked, it seems to consistently be an indicator of a nation’s identity, history and pride. The Chinese dance training system’s attention to detail, high standard for work ethic and discipline of dancers is unrivaled. Culture and tradition have perfected these qualities. Western theory cultivates and nurtures the artistic mind which has brought dance into a new age of discovery and development. Through observing the practices of both dance cultures I have experienced a reformation of personal pedagogy. Learning the value of balance in demanding technical excellence as well as allowance for individual interpretation and thought. I believe success will be found in opportunity. Creating classroom etiquette to ensure discipline while presenting opportunities for students to create, share and interpret the art form of dance. Understanding the significance of student-teacher relationships through defining behaviors and practices to replicate and avoid, we can conclude that a balance of values and adoption of others practices will continue to produce the most excellent training systems as we share our unique dance culture.