Phenomenological vignette research as a method for dance and music education research
The research project Watchin‘ Dance aims to identify the ways in which young people perceive and receive contemporary dance on stage and on social media and to identify its educational potential. It focusses on the following research questions: Which aspects of contemporary dance performances appeal to or disturb young people (i.e. forms of movement, musical elements, staging)? What role does music play? Which of the socio-political topics dealt with in dance are of interest? Which dimensions of aesthetic experiences can be substantiated?
The study uses a “mixed-method” design. In order to reconstruct and classify the ways in which young people perceive and receive dance, individual and group interviews are combined with the phenomenological vignette research. Hereby, we test a methodological approach that has rarely been used in dance and music education research. We follow the Innsbruck vignette research model, called Innsbrucker Vignettenforschung (Schratz, Schwarz & Westfall-Greiter 2012; Agostini et al. 2023). Here, young people’s physical and verbal reactions to a dance performance as well as interaction between the students are of particular interest. Given it is a decidedly physical form of art, dance is a particularly suitable application of this methodological approach. In vignettes, researchers attempt to highlight particular moments of affectedness, consternation or even rejection and resistance during the reception of dance.
For more information about the project please use the link to the project-homepage.
Research team:
- Verena Freytag, Institute of Music, Aesthetic Education and Movement Education
- Susanne Dreßler, Institute of Music, Music Education
- Julia Brennecke, Institute of Music, Aesthetic Education and Movement Education
References:
Agostini, E., Peterlini, H. K., Donlic, J., Kumpusch, V., Lehner, D., & Sandner, I. (2023). Die Vignette als Übung der Wahrnehmung: Zur Professionalisierung pädagogischen Handelns. Opladen, Berlin: Verlag Barbara Budrich.
Schratz, M., Schwarz, J. F. & Westfall-Greiter, T. (2012). Lernen als bildende Erfahrung. Vignetten in der Praxisforschung. Innsbruck: Studienverlag.