GENDER & DIVERSITY: Vortrag „Unveiling Gender Dynamics in Dance Education: Reflective Insights from Male Participants“ mit Kai Lehikoinen, Ph.D. (University of the Arts Helsinki)

Based on a my doctoral dissertation and a recent study undertaken in Finland, this lecture delves into the nuanced realm of gender dynamics within dance education, focusing on the male experience. The emergence of „declassifying“ initiatives in Finnish dance education for males, originating in the late 1950s and gaining momentum in the early 1980s, revealed the struggle against the stigmatization of male dancing as effeminate or contrary to hegemonic masculinity.
Despite significant societal changes in gender perception, basic dance education has maintained a disproportionately low male enrollment rate, sparking inquiry into the reflections and experiences of male participants from the 1990s to 2008. This session aims to explore and analyze the reflections of male participants, examining their encounters with fear, coping mechanisms, and the role of gender-specific peer groups as supportive spaces in dance education. Through reflective accounts, the lecture takes a look at the well-being implications and the formation of extended dancing families creating sensitive and caring environments beyond the dance school. Drawing on these insights, the lecture seeks to unravel the complexities of gender dynamics in dance education and their profound impact on the wellbeing of male participants.