The dance culture and its impact on the dancer

Fulfilling one’s potential by becoming the best dancer one can become and joining a professional dance company is a dream of many young people, who enter vocational dance training. Such training comes with unique challenges, which add to the pressures (from parents, peers, school) adolescents typically experience, as they progress through the teenage years (Blevins et al., 2020). Although elite dancers are often admired for the extraordinary feats they perform, we know little about their experiences and journey. There is a need to understand the experiences of young vocational dancers and how these experiences may impact them. 

One aspect of the vocational dance experience is the in-house culture and practices in ballet academies (McEwen & Young, 2011; Scott, 2010), which show similar features found in elite sport settings, such as hierarchical relationships, hectic daily schedules, normalisation of injuries, and harsh teaching/training methodologies (Kim et al., 2020; Scott, 2010). Despite growing concerns over vocational ballet dancers’ well-being, we know little about their lived experiences during vocational dance training, how they experience the dance culture and the effects that this dance culture may have on them (e.g., mental health, well-being, other psychological characteristics). In elite sport, certain features of the social environment have been shown to protect athletes' mental health or put them at risk for mental illness (Kavussanu et al., 2024). However, to our knowledge, the social environment or dance culture in vocational dance schools has received little attention.

The proposed PhD aims to: 1) explore the features of the dance culture created in vocational dance schools; 2) develop a psychometrically sound questionnaire to measure the dance culture; and 3) examine the effect of the dance culture on vocational dancers’ mental health, psychological well-being, and other psychosocial attributes. 

We are seeking a talented and motivated individual who is passionate about this area of research. The specific details/focus of the project will be decided with input from the PhD student based on their specific interests, but a focus on the social environment /dance culture as perceived by current or former dancers is essential.

Candidates who are interested in this project are kindly required to submit the following documents, directly to Professor Maria Kavussanu ([Email Address Removed]):

1) Your CV, which highlights your educational qualifications and grades, and your (previous) experiences that are relevant to PhD study. 

2) An abstract of the most recent study you have conducted. If you have never done a research study, you could be considered for an MRes or a Masters by Research, with the potential to progress to a PhD, once this is completed at the appropriate standard.

IMPORTANT NOTE. At this point in time, no funding is available for this project. If you wish to apply, please consider carefully whether you are able to fund this PhD either through personal sources or via an external scholarship. Information about fees can be found here:

https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/research/sport-exercise/sport-exercise-sciences

For more information about eligibility requirements, please visit: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/courses/research/sport-exercise/sport-exercise-sciences.aspx#EntryRequirementsTab

International students are required to have an English Language qualification. For further information, please visit: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/postgraduate/pgt/requirements-pgt/international/index.aspx

To learn more about studying for a PhD at the University of Birmingham, including full details of the research undertaken in the School, the funding opportunities available for your subject, and guidance on making your application, please request a prospectus and course brochure: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/prospectus