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Developing talent among young dancers: findings from the UK Centres for Advanced Training

  • Imogen Aujla
    ,
  • Sanna M. Nordin-Bates
    ,
  • Emma Redding
    ,
  • Veronica Jobbins
Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Abstract

The identification and development of talent is a key concern for many dance educators, yet little research has been conducted in the area. In order to understand better how to optimise dance talent development among young people, systematic and rigorous research is needed. This paper summarises and discusses the key findings of a ground-breaking longitudinal interdisciplinary research project into dance talent development. Over two years, almost 800 young dancers enrolled at one of the eight nationwide Centres for Advanced Training (CATs) participated in the project. Physical factors, psychological characteristics, and injury data were collected quantitatively while the students' thoughts and perspectives on commitment, creativity and cultural variables were captured using qualitative methods. The largest study of its kind, the project yielded a wide range of findings with a number of practical implications. The main focus of this paper is on how the project findings apply to important pedagogic topics such as audition criteria, passion and commitment, and teaching behaviour. The area of talent identification and development is complex, yet this research has begun to shed new light on the notion of talent and has provided novel insights to support its development.

Publication Information

Output type

Research Output: Contribution to journal Article Peer-review

Original language

English

Pages from-to (Number of pages)

Pages 15-30

Journal (Volume, Issue Number)

Theatre, Dance and Performance Training (Volume 5, Issue 1)

Publication milestones

  • Published - 28/04/2014

Publication status

Published - 28/04/2014

ISSN

1944-3927

External Publication IDs

  • handle.net: 10547/576815
  • Scopus: 84899849404

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