Passagem: entre rastros e caminhos nos processos de formação-ação de uma professora de dança na Técnica Duncan

Abstract

This dissertation investigated the political-pedagogical knowledge produced in the teaching experience at the Duncan Technique, focusing on the training-in-action processes of a Dance teacher. The study focused on the knowledge acquired during her practice as a dancer-teacher and teacher trainer at the Duncan Dance Academy (DDA) in China (2017-2023). It starts from the perspective that teaching/learning are instances of the same process, based on the Freire pedagogy (1996), which values the notion of training as a continuous process. The general aim is to broaden discussions about training processes in Dance, with a focus on teacher training in the Duncan Technique. The specific objectives are: a) to discuss teacher education in Dance through the lens of Teacherhood within the context of Duncan Technique; b) to systematize a historical narrative tracing the journey of the Duncan Legacy, acknowledging its agents and contributions; c) to present the principles of Duncan Technique and their developments over time; d) to describe the uniqueness of the experience at the DDA (China); e) to organize the pedagogical knowledge that emerged from this experience. The relevance of the research lies in the fact that, although the Duncan Technique has been disseminated in Salvador-BA since 1992, there is a scarcity of academic research on the subject. This study, therefore, contributes to enriching the field of Dance and Education, promoting a closer dialog between the University and technical training spaces. It also offered a critical analysis of pedagogical practices, especially with regard to the training of Dance teachers. The dissertation adopted a qualitative approach with an exploratory purpose. Thus, it invested in the mutual acceptance of case study methods (Yin, 2001) and (auto)biography (Souza, 2007). The data was produced through the author's (auto)biographical narratives together with the documental analysis of lesson plans, projects and curriculums developed at DDA. As theoretical references, the following authors are included: Freire (1996) and Souza (2004) for the approach to teacher training and Assis (2018) to deepen the perspective of teacherhood in Dance; Isadora Duncan (1969), Irma Duncan (1970) and Levien (1994) in the field of studies on the Duncan Technique. The dissertation is structured in seven chapters which, together, seek to reflect on the author's teaching experience, irrigating the thematic section of teacher training, especially in the Duncan Technique.