Raising the curtain: Exploring dancers' perceptions of obligation through the psychological contract lens
Document Type
Journal Article
Publisher
Sage Publications
Faculty
Faculty of Business and Law
School
School of Business
RAS ID
16521
Abstract
The current study takes an exploratory approach to investigate which situational factors influence perceptions of psychological contracts, as well as the content that comprises psychological contracts in the dance training industry. Semi-structured interviews (n = 10) were conducted with students enrolled in a higher education institution in Australia. Results indicated that intending dancers take several factors into consideration when contemplating a professional dance career: natural progression of skill, employment opportunities, location, and peer recommendation. In addition, intending dancers have several perceived institutional obligations: skill development, quality of teachers and training, and networking opportunities. The current article adds novel insights to dance education literature by considering the trainee-institution relationship through the psychological contract lens. It is anticipated that the findings will assist future research that seeks to incorporate student perceptions into dance curriculum development.
DOI
10.1177/1474022212473523
Comments
Stanway, A. R., Bordia, S., & Fein, E. (2013). Raising the curtain: Exploring dancers' perceptions of obligation through the psychological contract lens. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, 12(2), 254-267. Available here