Habitus and perceptions : lecturers discuss dance in primary teacher education courses in Queensland, Australia

Dance is a compulsory component of the Arts Curriculum in the primary years in Australia. Today, we have a renewed understanding of dance education that utilises experimentation, guided discovery, exploration and enhanced creative thinking skills (Isbell & Raines, 2007). There is much research that attests to the benefits of creative approaches to dance education (Gersak, 2012), however, pre-service teachers’ perceptions of dance frequently misrepresent the area, often as a result of societal values, their own school experiences and the habitus that creates perceptions of dance in schools. This paper reports on a study that interviewed lecturers facilitating dance education units in teacher preparation courses in Queensland, Australia. They reflect upon the strategies they use to challenge preconceived ideas and stereotypes about dance and arts education. They also discuss opportunities for future developments in pre-service dance education and avenues of success they have experienced.