User:Ethnodanceologist/sandbox

Ethnodanceology
Ethnodanceology (also dance anthropology, dance ethnology, dance ethnography and ethnochoreology) is the study of dance within a cultural context. Ethnodanceology is an area of study encompassing various approaches to studying different dance styles throughout the world. Their cultural, social, material, cognitive, biological, and other dimensions or contexts is emphasized. Both the movement component and its function in society is explored. Gesture, movement, movement sequence or choreography and pieces are signifiers of dance studied within a cultural context.

Definition
Ethnodanceology is the investigation of dance within a cultural context and while there are various terms used to describe investigation employing this lens, a throughline among terms is consistent: Ethnodanceology is explored beyond a historical and social perspective but also within culture, dance as culture and dance as a reflection and extension of culture. Ethnodanceology is related Ethnomusicology - the way music is explored within a cultural context.

Etymology
Ethnodanceology – a term coined by Yauri S Kelly Dalencour (Yauri Dalencour) from the Greek word ἔθνος (ethnos, "nation") and French word (danseur, "dance") – is often described as the anthropology or ethnography of dance. Ethnodanceology, includes the study all dance - non-Western and Western dance forms. From anthropological, sociological and intercultural perspectives, dance is ethnic as dance is culture and culture has ethnicity. Most recently, Yauri has describe Ethnodanceology as the study of the “who”, “what”, “when”, “where”, and “why” of dance from cultures they derived. The behavior and its origins, development, and impact and influence on other people, other dances and dance styles, music, other behaviors and even institutions. She sought to define the work she was doing as:

“an area of study encompassing various approaches to the study of dance (broadly defined) that emphasize its cultural, social, material, cognitive, biological, and other dimensions or contexts instead of or in addition to its isolated movement component or any particular repertoire.”, the dance version of ethnomusicology.

History
For nearly a century, dancers, anthropologists and scholars have studied dance as an aspect of culture. After working as an intern and archivist in 2005 with the late dance anthropologist Katherine Dunham and pursuing doctoral studies in dance, Yauri wanted to have a clearer definition around what it was she was doing. She saw herself as a dancer and anthropologist, as someone who studied dance within a cultural context. Instead of referring to herself as a dancer and ethnographer or dance anthropologist, the latter term used most often used, she coined the terms, Ethnodanceology and ethnodanceologist. In 2007, she founded an arts and cultural education consultancy using the term in the organization 's name where she has worked as an ethnodanceologist developing curricula, initiatives, dance pieces and choreography from ethnographic research.