Open AccessReconstructing dancer identities
Author(s) -
Emma Cosgrave
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
dance articulated
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 2703-8327
DOI - 10.5324/da.v7i1.4227
Subject(s) - aotearoa , narrative , sociology , thematic analysis , grassroots , dance , identity (music) , precarity , gender studies , media studies , aesthetics , public relations , qualitative research , political science , visual arts , social science , art , literature , politics , law
The Coronavirus (Covid-19) continues to reshape many lives socially, politically, and economically. Choreographic practice, performance, and those involved in dance are also affected in different ways. This article investigates the research question: How might the event of Covid-19 prompt the transformation of freelance dancers’ identities? Through a qualitative narrative inquiry, three freelance contemporary dancers from Aotearoa/New Zealand were interviewed. From a thematic analysis of the data, the theme of alienation and adaptability were drawn out. This research reveals that the event of Covid-19 has caused freelance dancers to question their identity and precarity within their communities and shifted their position to advance a sense of security. The stories shared by the dancers revealed that industry practices and conditions for freelance contemporary dancers in Aotearoa/New Zealand need redevelopment for greater sustainability, relevance and inclusion, which could pave the way for industry changes to occur post-covid-19.