Sarah Lawrence College
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The Capacity of Connection: Engaging Academic Disciplines with Democracy, Community, and Identity
Get PDFIt is not enough to think of interdisciplinarity only in terms of curriculum. We also have to think about HOW we teach, and what of ourselves, as teachers and as engaged humans, we are bringing to the classroom and to our students. What I’m proposing as necessary is a conception of interdisciplinarity which foregrounds the humanity of both students and teachers as prerequisite; which considers care and growth of identity as its own discipline; and which goes beyond curriculum and extends, crucially, into interdisciplinarity of approach. I will further argue that, rather than taking away valuable instruction time from academics, engaging multiple disciplines and modes on this level can buttress and enliven academic subjects, while also better equipping children to be flexible thinkers and communicators in a swiftly changing world. It can also begin to unravel the negative effects of the “hidden curriculum” most often associated with traditional education, the worst effects of which are felt most consequentially on those who have already been injured by historic marginalization. Transforming the implicit part of curriculum by acknowledging the value of different ways of knowing, being, learning, and speaking, in a school setting, can also begin the process of re-engaging humans with their sense of citizenship, and help them to know that they have a hand in shaping a participatory democracy
Asian American Picture Books and Social Justice Conversations in Early Elementary Classrooms
Get PDFAsian Americans are the fastest-growing racial or ethnic group in the United States. As the diversity of the student population increases, it is and will be increasingly important to build classroom libraries that reflect this growing diversity because picture books are a foundational part of early childhood learning. This thesis project explores the use of Asian American picture books in early elementary school classrooms and how they might be used by teachers to support children’s ethnic and racial identity development and conversations around diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging (DEIJB) in the classroom. Six teachers participated in qualitative interviews in person or via Zoom. The majority of Asian American picture books referenced by the teachers were about food, holidays, and/or celebrations, or seem to have been written in response to stereotypes. Most of the teachers could not name specific authors or titles of books with Asian American characters that they read during the previous school year. The teachers who were the most comfortable discussing issues of DEIJB with their students had salient childhood experiences of feeling marginalized or had a model for child-centered interactions. These same teachers also pursued graduate or doctoral degrees in education with a focus on anti-bias and social justice. Key findings reiterate the need for increased variety in the types of stories we share with children in order to provide fuller pictures of marginalized and oppressed groups of people
Healing Cultural Trauma Through Dance as a Spiritual Practice- Homage to Alvin Ailey\u27s Blood Memories
No full textThis research aims to draw connections between dance and spirituality and how they are constantly in conversation with each other in performance or any other modes of physicality. The evaluation of Alvin Ailey’s dance work “Blood Memories” or Revelations is used as an example to support my research and is still performed by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre today. Alvin Ailey continued to create space for Black dancers while also finding a means to pay tribute to his ancestors by using dance to tell the tale of Black history. I include the connections that Alvin Ailey had with Lester Horton in order to identify Alvin Ailey’s key inspirations for creating such an iconic work that was used as a tool for healing and identifying cultural trauma. African spiritual and ritual dance history also play a key role in my research in order to identify the plethora of connections between dance and spirituality that have existed since the beginning of time
Neurodivergence in Dance Performance: A Thesis
Get PDFDoes neurodivergence have any effects on dance performance? The goals of this research project are to reflect, analyze, and understand how individual neurodivergence impacts creativity, identity, and the choreographic process. The intersection of dance and disability studies is an ever-growing area of research that is in conflict because of the societal nature of the two concepts. Within the disability studies field, neurodivergence and neurodiversity are relatively new and undeveloped ideas that primarily interact with dance studies as pedagogical areas of interest. There is little attention on the impacts of neurodivergence in dance makers and their creative products in performance. The number of artists actively engaging with neurodivergence as a topic of creative research is small, but provides inspiration and support to future creatives. Through personal narrative, phenomenological and creative research, historical development, and engagement with other art forms, I provide a comprehensive review of the impacts of neurodivergence on a year-long creative research project
Supporting Transgender/Gender Diverse Identity Development Through Embodied Exploration of Gender Euphoria, Joy, and Resilience
Get PDFTransgender/gender diverse identity development is an embodied process that requires the ability to sense one’s inner experience of gender and, usually, explore ways of expressing and embodying that gender that feel authentic to one’s inner experience. Dance/movement therapy provides a unique platform for transgender/gender diverse individuals to explore and express their gender identities in an embodied way, allowing for a deeper understanding of themselves beyond societal expectations. As a strength-based practice, dance/movement therapy can address the needs of transgender/gender diverse people in a way that cultivates positive experiences of living as a transgender/gender diverse person as a counter to narratives of distress and victimization. Dance/movement therapy interventions can provide transgender/gender diverse individuals and groups with opportunities to experience gender affirmation, celebrate their diverse identities, and find strength in the transgender/gender diverse community. Embodied exploration of gender euphoria, joy, and resilience in dance/movement therapy can support a transgender/gender diverse person’s development of a positive self-concept in their individual process of embracing their authentic self. Integrating these themes into a gender affirming dance/movement therapy framework provides a holistic view of transgender/gender diverse experiences and empowers transgender/gender diverse people to live joyful, fulfilling lives
To Dance or Not to Dance? A Dancer\u27s Journey to Becoming a Movement Therapist
Get PDFThis thesis explores the impact of the word dance on people’s idea of what dance/movement therapy is. Dance/movement therapy was created by dancers who realized that dance had the ability to be therapeutic. In the 1940s in the United States, when dance/movement therapy was established, dance was not what it is today. Dance has expanded and is now seen in competitions, television/movies, and social media, which places a strong emphasis on the validation from others. The author aims to look at this shift in dance and how ideas present within dance do not align with the focus of dance/movement therapy. Through an exploration of personal experience, the history of dance and dance/movement therapy, and professional identity, the author looks to examine how dance fits into their own practice of dance/movement therapy
Experiences of Patients with Vascular Connective Tissue Disorders on the Family Planning Option of Surrogacy
No full textPatients with vascular connective tissue disorders (vCTDs) are counseled on the risks of carrying a pregnancy and alternative methods of family planning. We performed semi-structured interviews to explore the experiences of individuals with vCTDs and a subset of their partners about decision-making related to alternative family planning options, specifically focusing on those considering surrogacy. This cross-sectional qualitative study investigated key themes in decision-making and experiences pursuing alternative family planning options (surrogacy, in vitro fertilization, adoption), and advice to peers and medical professionals about family planning counseling. Participants noted a lack of specific information from medical professionals about these alternative options, necessitating the need for self-education. Major factors weighed by participants in decision-making included cost, duration of time for the process, influence of a person’s social network (friends, family, agencies/consultants), and emotional toll. Participants discussed emotional factors (anxiety, fear, loss of control, uncertainty) influence on decision-making and the surrogacy experience. Participant advice to medical professionals regarding discussion about having children included gauging the patient’s receptiveness to the acceptance of the information and tailoring the amount and timing of information. Limitations of this study include sample size and selection bias, impacting the generalizability and transferability of the data to others in the vCTD community. Overall, a lack of information about alternative family planning options from medical providers provides insight into the need for resources to aid in education. Further areas of research include exploring barriers to surrogacy in the wider vCTD population and creation of an informational tool for patient education
Moonglow
No full textThis thesis narrates a coming-of-age fairytale about a novice necromancer descending into the underworld to save his mother, discussing themes of love, loss, and life along his journey