The Importance of “Downtime” for Democratic Dance Pedagogy: Insights from a Dance Program Serving Asian American Youth

ABSTRACT

This article examines how youth participants in a community-based dance program developed a strong sense of purpose and a commitment to the community organization by leading their peers during informal, unstructured class time. These results are of particular importance to dance educators and policymakers who aim to foster leadership opportunities among young dancers as part of a commitment to social justice education, culturally relevant pedagogy, or democratic teaching practices. By examining how young dance students explore notions of empowerment, purpose, and a sense of belonging in the community, this article meaningfully contributes to the literature on leadership, youth identity, and community building in dance.