Analytical Framework

 Research question(s) & purpose.

Addressing class issues within the Balletic Arts arose from incorporating socio-economic concerns within the conversation of diversity. Which commenced through an analysis of class participation using "photography [of students dance works. Students' recital images advantageously,] funct[ioned] as a research tool in studying [dance] culture [learning practices.] Ultimately bringing clarity and consensus to [my] understanding" by questioning how some traditional ways of practice when learning the Balletic Arts can limit demographics due to cost (Dipesh, n.d., p.147). Dismantling my students' work images and comparing two recitals (B to A), I constructed diagrams. To analyze the relationship between traditional wardrobe cost and class participation. Analyzing how traditional balletic wardrobe impacted class participation led me to explore "equit[iable Ballet] pedagogy [techniques. For, as Banks & Banks (2004) states,] equity pedagogy exists when teachers use techniques and methods that facilitate the academic achievement of students from [not only] diverse racial, ethnic, but,] social-class groups [as well]" (p.5). 

Developing Topic & Plan 

My narration of studio recital processes in Dance permitted a turning point in my practice. Illustratively had I not identified acknowledging the Cost of the items to recreate traditional Ballet renditions; adapting to my students' needs sooner during lessons leading up to recitals, I could have produced much more equitable activities. That would speak to a broader student demographic. The ideas of multiculturalism aided me in addressing class issues concerning costs to produce equitable dance exercises, made clear by comparing the participation process of Recital B to Rehearsal A. Though adaptations to my practice were most relevant to students' experience leading to Recital B, I did not decrease teacher-to-student quality. However, I began to break my routinized way of doing things. 

Constructing a narration of Les Danseurs' experiences, from the countless pages of my data, I structured a type of guide titled Le Danse, including my voice as a dance educator. By providing my experiences of how Big Ideas function in Ballet to create dance works, weaving my background teaching the art form in relevant ways. In doing so, I and my interviewees' experiences expose teaching methods within the Balletic Arts that relinquish a limiting standard of the exception to traditional forms of practice. The root of Le Danse encompasses a multicultural perspective to allow one to teach the facets of Ballet from the foundation of training to the creation of Dance works much more equitably. I have identified financial constraints and a resolution amongst Tools of Practice, Tools of Performance, Practice/Creation, Platforms, and an exploration of How Teaching Materials influence Practice Garments; what is the connection to Cost. As a whole, the narrative construction (Le Danse) using the interwoven voices of three educators experiences, illuminates the limitations brought on by the cost of traditional methods which can or have affected certain demographic of students to engage in a Balletic lesson.  

Methodology

As "Clandoinin and Connelly's (1998), note "education ... lives at the core of narrative inquiry 'and [is] not merely the telling of stories (p.246)' (Huber et al. 2013 p.213)". "Attentiveness [is] central [in the] ways in which narrative inquiry opens possibilities for shifting stories and, therefore, lives" (Huber et al. 2013, p. 213). [By] "connect[ing] us with the knowledge of people whose thinking in ... a story, narrative, [or] experience." (Huber et al., 2013, p. 213). "Whenever one positions oneself in [a] continuum [an] imagined now, some imagined past or some imagined future, each point has a past experimental base and leads to an experimental future (2000, p.2)' (Schultz, 2021, p.23)." Thus, to inquire how to make the Balletic Arts teaching practices much more equitable, I addressed how educators can mitigate financial factors found amongst the various teaching elements. As "Dewey [as coined by Schultz (2021) states,] the principle of continuity in its educational application means ...that [for] the future ...to be taken into account [one must adress] every stage of the education process" (p.24). Therefore, for this reason, to imagine a much more equitable Ballet teaching practice, I addressed the adaptations and considerations within five key facets of how to teach Ballet. Such as exploring Tools of Practice, Tools of Performance, Elements of Practice/Creation, Platform, and finally, explain a brief overview of how interwoven Cost plays within our Teaching Materials. For to envision equitable exercises, one has to examine the foundations of the training and how emerging dance student attain their Balletic vocabulary and technique. 

Poignantly the combination of authors such as Buffington & Mckay (2013), Dipesh (n.d). Ely et al. (1997), Huber et al. (2013), and Schultz (2021) permitted me to use qualitative research methods to bring forth discourse to help identify and acknowledge inequitable teaching practices within the Balletic Arts. Passionate about my craft, I have explored ways to become a better instructor. The first key has been, acknowledging my foundation in Ballet pedagogy alone did not supply me with the sole foundation to teach the Balletic Arts sufficiently amongst an array of diverse students. Opposed to the hands-on experience in the field has. Qualitative research methods have brought forth a vehicle for me; as the dance educators, I have chosen to interview to help acknowledge the gaps in our practice. For instance, reflection brought on by narrative inquiry examining other educators' experiences in the field and my autobiographical online journals has permitted me to identify and recognize inequitable teaching methods that may be outdated within the Balletic Arts. My discourse with others in the field prompted my exploration that "ultimately br[ought] clarity and consensus to [my] understanding [how to make the necessary additions through the pictorial images of my students' choreographic work. That, I used it as a] research tool. Permitting for “thick description [to] study [dance learning] culture” (Dipesh, n.d. p.147). 

Examination of one's tools as teaching material has also been most integral. As a "theoretical concept, [Semiotics for instance] offer[red] various connections among works of art, educational theories, [and] classroom practices. [That, for one, helped fuel the creation of dialogue, understanding, and explorations of views. In addition to bringing an understanding of], teachers beliefs, and a wide range of critical theories" (Buffington & Mckay, 2013 p.173). When dance educators review repertorial videos, images, or verbal references to illustrate movements to engage students within dance lessons; besides, visual ethnography of students' repertorial dance work may help examine engagement levels or fallacies of the practice. As Ely et al. note (1997), "certain findings will seem silent (p.161). Yet, "whenever one positions oneself in [a] continuum [an] imagined now, some imagined past or some imagined future, each point has a past experimental base and leads to an experimental future" (Schultz, 2021, p.23). There is immense "potential [when using] narrative inquiry to remake life in classrooms, schools, and beyond. As Clanddinin and Connelly (1998) [note,] understanding "education … lives at the core of narrative inquiry and [it is] not merely the telling of stories (p.246)' (p.213)". "Attentiveness [is] central [in the] ways in which narrative inquiry opens possibilities for shifting stories and, therefore, lives[. By] connect[ing] us with the knowledge of people whose thinking in relation with a story, narrative, experience, and lives shape our thinking and living." (Huber et al., 2013, p. 213). Thus, reflecting on my interviewees' experiences as my reflections over the last two years, re-reading my blog journal entries, taking particular note of my Big Ideas Lesson, cross-referencing, and connecting with my interview transcripts of dance educators' experiences in the field, I have used the past to enhance my practices in the future. For as, "Dewey[ states,] the principle of continuity in its educational application means in that the future has to be taken into account at every stage of the education process. In other words, [,] engaging in ... activities requires an orientation towards the future while nevertheless working within the present that emerges from the past" (Schultz, 2021, p.24). 

Participants 

Wishing to have a greater understating of the practices and methods of teachers as I, I engaged in a series of interviews with a focus group of dance educators ranging in levels five, eleven, and twenty years of experience with Conservatory, Professional, or Collegiate backgrounds in Dance to inquire specifically about their experiences in practice. That can allow us to understand if and how incorporating socio-economic factors as a lens can make the Balletic Arts much more equitable. How, if, what, and why specifically do they not or do amalgamate teaching tools through a socio-economic lens. Supposing this consideration is instrumental as it has been in my experience. 

Methods 

To attain honest answers without my presence, I sent via email first a questionnaire. That contained fifteen questions inquiring on Background, Teaching Environment, and Curriculum. The Emails also permitted ease to send and request consent forms. I followed by scheduled dates and time frames that suited my participates in conducting follow-up conversations that were much more semi-structured. To allow for the flow of conversation to be natural to address any additional clarification. Or topics I wanted to expand on further. I enjoyed most the phone follow-up process, which I recorded on an iMac video to transcribe using an online service. Since the calls were half to forty minutes long, Rev.com relieved some stress to manually transcribe. Re-reading interviewees' answers and comparing them to the audio, inflections or tones of sarcasm, etc., did not transfer. So manually, I have inserted context if the verbal transcript reads off comparison to how it would have sounded. The conversational follow-up interviews provided much of the additional information and reasonings to incorporate five facets of teaching Ballet.

Findings 

The visual images of my student dance work served to observe engagement levels. How specifically, when one considers amalgamating tools through a socio-economic lens, one can make the appropriate adaptations to practice. The retelling of my experience to other educators with levels of experience in the field functioned to discuss further how I could, connect or expand with fellow educators in how Ballet Pedagogy prepared us. In contrast to the experience of hands-on teaching. To examine the levels of engagement dance students had or hindered by when one solely validates traditional conventions of teaching practice versus adaptations in the field that can keep students engaged and enrolled in their passion. 

As an Overture setting the tone, my narrative served to help identify the three A's (Adaptation, Activities, and Acknowledgment). Like Acts to a Ballet, I raise the curtain to discourse the structure of Ballet. My participants' follow-up answers construct one story describing the elements of teaching the Balletic Arts. In contrast to separating our four voices, participants and my voice became one entity: Les Danseurs to present my findings like a production creatively. To exhibit and examine "the 'third space' creating their narrative as art and inquiry; an image [of the] words [I was met with]" (Leavy, 2009, p. 232). I commence from the foundation of practice, leading to the creation of dancing processes, labeling the different facets to carry a Ballet class like Acts. That is organized by my participants' anecdotes exposing a socio-economic lens that addressed mitigating factors amongst Act I: Tools of Practice, Act II: The Encore (Tools of Performance), Act III: The Solos (Elements of Practice/Creation, Act IV: The Stage (Platform), and finally, Act V: The Curtain Call. That would expose a brief overview of our (Teaching Tools). That individually addresses how Cost within each could or have affected a student's participation; what adaptive methods or practices function to permit the continuation of student participation. That supports my suggestion that Ballet Pedagogy teacher preparation may benefit tremendously, integrating the voices of educators in the field with hands-on experience, which can expose methods that could aid in the process of addressing issues how to teach the art form to children in the 21 century. In contrast to the historical manner in which Pedagogy prepares instructors for teaching children how to dance the art form.  

Please click on the link to Narrative Construction of Le Danse:https://www.blogger.com/blog/post/edit/preview/7958729651820909019/5056826617053447199

What your data means

My Narrative Construction of Le Danse, may support an educator with a limited foundation in the field of how to teach the Balletic Arts equitably. Adaptations presented to teaching practice may not align with the traditional standards to teach as Ballet Pedagogy subscribes. But it may be of most use if cost is a mitigating factor in continuing engagement. I use "narrative inquiry [as] a vehicle to understand ... artists and personal [teaching] experiences, transformations, context and outlooks of the [Ballet] teacher participants in the study" (Buffington and Mckay, p.227). To facilitate information on adaptive practices—exploring considerations as online, at-home exercises, and other methods that reduce the cost of Balletic routines that keep students engaged without diminishing teacher-to-student quality. 

Why it matters.

"The most apparent facet of diversity and multiculturalism is there is not one. There is no one paradigm, not one taxonomy, not one way of diversifying and mutliculturalizng citizens and school criteria." (Steinberg et al., n.d.,p.3) Yet, theorizing when one incorporates a much more socio-economic lens as part of the conversation of diversity, one as a Ballet educator can become much more conscious of the cost of traditional tools if enforced to practice or perform the art form. That will ultimately lead to a heightened sense of how we as educators can be conscious of methods to facilitate the Balletic Arts equitably so all students who wish to participate can do so. 

"Class is extremely ambiguous and complex [.Yet] all institutions [can serve as exceptional] studies [of] hierarchies of inclusion and exclusion that shape individual group power relations ... inferiority and inequality" (Steinberg et al., n.d.,p.11). The narratives of Les Danseurs exposed that whether or not a child may seem to afford tools, they continuously addressed the cost of the material themselves they engaged with in various ways to allow all students to permit the continuation of Dance. Les Danseurs' actions revealed the elements and power structures within Ballet and how that affected their student engagement in the past to make the appropriate changes in their present. For as Steinberg et al. (n.d) note, "educators [inclusive of arts educators] must understand oppressors of [not only] race [and] gender [but also] class" (p.6). 

Conclusion

Findings within my research enhanced my perception concerning gaps within Balletic Pedological preparation. For instance, when dance educators exclusively validate traditional teaching methods, it limits creativity. In addition to the demographic of students who may wish to engage yet may find themselves restricted by the exorbitant cost of the traditional way to practice or perform the art form. Relinquishing the limitations of a conventional method does not abandon teacher-to-student quality as my participants' experiences entail in Le Danse. The educators, instead, identified the cost of the traditional tools of practice and performance and adapted innovations to ensure all students wishing to dance could. I, for example, examined historical dance repertoire and incorporated viewing material to carry Big Ideas. By, current Ballet companies and artists did, that did not limit my dance students' creativity assigning only a specific way to perform. I did so through the validated message amongst the selection of works I utilized as teaching material to show how to express through Ballet vocabulary. My experience and interviewees' experiences adapting methods crystallized how, when educators adhere to tradition, it is paramount to adjust how to do so by permitting all students to attain the appropriate tools. 

Ascribing to only one practice method, as was my past experiences following traditional Ballet Pedagogy, as was the learning experiences of my interviewees, our truths reveal that not always does the historical or traditional ways of doing things translate. Especially amongst a diverse set of emerging dance youths. Knowing how vital adaptability is can be essential to creatively fashion activities that will ultimately not alienate any student wishing to participate in Ballet.  

My research impacted me to expand to five integral facets of teaching dance lessons much more equitable. Then just how to dance. Paying acute attention to the narratives of my participants, I formulate a guide titled Le Danse. That may help serve educators in my community teach the Balletic Arts if Ballet Pedagogy alone has not supplied the sufficient foundation to teach the art form amongst a diverse group of students with financial limitations. Or, creatively enhance a ballet teacher's perspective on how they can reconceptualize the traditional tools of practice or performance so that any child wishing to their studio Ballet class may do so.