COVID-19 Pandemic and Online Dance Education: Issues, Opportunities, and New Pedagogies

The COVID-19 pandemic forced dance faculty in higher education to urgently shift to online delivery methods. Based on interviews with various dance faculty from diverse geographical, disciplinary, and institutional affiliations, this article is a reflection on the dance pedagogy trends, issues, and concepts during the 2020 shift to virtual dance teaching and learning. This article considers difficulties that occurred in online dance education, such as health and safety issues, the complexity of navigating students’ diverse socioeconomic discrepancies and its connection to access, and the emotional and mental health toll on students of a rapidly changing arts sector. It also explores new discoveries in dance pedagogies and ideas for moving dance education forward post-COVID-19. The research brings into focus the role of technology in dance education, including its effect on teaching, embodied learning, and creative development.