Dancing the distance: iDance Arizona videoconferencing reaches rural communities

Abstract

Regardless of geographical limitations, community partnerships can flourish through videoconference technology. This article presents iDance Arizona (iDA) research as a tool for supporting the teaching and learning of dance in rural settings. This research focuses on university/K–12 collaborations and examines the pedagogy of videoconferencing in dance and in the design and implementation of a standards‐based dance curriculum with elementary and middle school students in Eloy, Arizona. The accessibility of videoconferencing makes it possible to educate students in a broad spectrum of dance contexts: composition, performance, technique and analysis. Videoconferencing presents unique opportunities for teaching students in rural settings. This article considers the benefits, challenges and discoveries of using videoconferencing. The discussion section addresses the need for additional research in this area and determines the application of videoconferencing dance instruction as the technology becomes more available for school use.

Keywords:

• dance education
• videoconferencing
• K–12 dance pedagogy
• community partnerships
• dance technology