Abstract
Risner and Andersen present a case study derived from a larger qualitative study, “Why boys (don’t) dance: A qualitative inquiry of male retention in professional dance careers,” which investigates lived experiences of current and former male dancers (n = 113, age 23–65). Drawing upon data from an online survey and follow-up interviews, the chapter traces the three-decade dance journey of Stephen Lucas, revealing a complex web of passion and rejection, persistence and frustration, determination and struggle. Lucas’ vivid and vulnerable story reveals the deleterious outcomes of dominant, traditional dance pedagogies, gender and sexual identity normalization in Western concert dance training, self-perpetuating narratives surrounding body image, shame, and self-worth, and the importance of family and community support for boys and males in dance.
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Risner, D., Andersen, H. (2022). Dancing a Love/Hate Relationship: A Case Study on Lingering Aspirations. In: Risner, D., Watson, B. (eds) Masculinity, Intersectionality and Identity. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-90000-7_15
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