Study by Professors Karen Schupp and Nyama McCarthy-Brown published by International Journal of Education and the Arts
Belonging in Motion
How Students Experience Inclusion in Dance in Higher Education
Authors
- Karen Schupp
Arizona State University, United States
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7059-8461 - Nyama McCarthy-Brown
The Ohio State University, United States
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.59236/ijea27n23
Keywords:
Inclusion, Equity, Diversity, Dance Education, Curriculum, Postsecondary Education
Abstract
This study revisits student perceptions of diversity, inclusion, and equity in postsecondary dance programs, building on our earlier research from 2015. While curricular changes—such as the inclusion of hip hop and other global diaspora forms—suggest progress, students continue to identify gaps in representation, particularly in performances and public events. These outward-facing spaces often send stronger messages about program values than course catalogs, influencing students’ sense of belonging. As dance education evolves alongside shifting socio-political climates and institutional pressures, this current research examines how students experience inclusion both in the classroom and on stage. We argue that dance programs must critically assess how selection processes, performance venues, and programming reflect inclusive values and support culturally meaningful representation. By centering student voices, this study highlights both the momentum toward equity and the persistent challenges in creating truly inclusive dance education environments.
Author Biographies
Karen Schupp, Arizona State University, United States
Karen Schupp, MFA, is a Professor of Dance in Arizona State University’s School of Music, Dance, and Theatre. Professor Schupp’s research and scholarly work focuses on dance education in a range of contexts. Her books include Futures of Performance, Studying Dance, Dance Education and Responsible Citizenship, Ethical Dilemmas in Dance Education (co-edited with Doug Risner), Dancing Across the Lifespan (co-edited with Pam Musil and Doug Risner), and Stories We Dance/Stories We Tell (co-edited with Sherrie Barr). Professor Schupp is the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Dance Education and her scholarly work has been published in numerous journals and edited volumes. She is the recipient of NDEO’s Ruth Lovell Murray Book Award and is a two time recipient of the Susan W. Stinson Book Award for Dance Education. In 2023, she was awarded the Outstanding Dance Education Researcher Award from the National Dance Education Organization.
Nyama McCarthy-Brown, The Ohio State University, United States
Dr. Nyama McCarthy-Brown is a culturally sustaining pedagogue and Associate Professor of Dance Pedagogy through Community Engagement at The Ohio State University, where she was named the institution’s first Artist Laureate. Her teaching spans dance education and contemporary practices rooted in Africanist aesthetics, centering the celebration of all movers. In 2021, she received two national teaching awards from Dance Teacher Magazine and the National Dance Education Organization. Dr. McCarthy-Brown is also an accomplished scholar with numerous publications. Her 2017 book, Dance Pedagogy for a Diverse World: Culturally Relevant Teaching in Research, Theory, and Practice, is utilized internationally. Her second book, Skin Colored Pointes: Interviews with Women of Color in Ballet, earned the 2025 Harry Shaw and Katrina Hazzard-Donald Award. She is an active facilitator and consultant, supporting organizations such as San Francisco Ballet School, Joffrey Ballet, BalletMet, public school districts, and universities in diversifying dance curricula.