Dance Participation during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences of Older Adult Dance Studio Members

Abstract

This phenomenological study explored the effects of COVID-19’s stay-at-home order on dance participation. Nine dance studio members, 60+ age, shared their lived experiences through semi-structured interviews. Interviews were transcribed and thematic analysis was conducted. Four themes emerged: Occupational disruption resulted from the loss of routine with sudden adaptation; virtual dance contributed positively to physical and emotional well-being; expanded virtual community addressed feelings of isolation and loneliness; and a positive outlook and hopefulness for future in-person dance. Themes underscore the importance of dance for older adults and the need to address physical, emotional, and social factors associated with un-predicted future pandemics.

Keywords:

• Dance participation
• social participation
• COVID-19
• well-being
• occupational disruption

Acknowledgments

I would like to thank (Dr. Mary Falzarano) and (Dr. Claire M. Mulry) for providing guidance and mentorship. Thank you to (Tamar Stern, OTS), and (Sara Orbe, OTDS) for literature search and formatting assistance. Finally, gratitude and appreciation to (Elissa Machlin-Lockwood), artistic director for (Center for Modern Dance Education(CMDE)), Janice Rollo, development coordinator for CMDE, dance instructors, and dance studio members for your support while conducting this study.

Ethical approval

This study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kean University, approval number 00004706. Participation was voluntary and all participants signed an informed consent and provided verbal agreement of their consent to participate and be recorded. The informed consent outlined the purpose and procedure of the study, potential risks or benefits, and confidentiality. Data collected was labeled for identification and stored in a password protected electronic file which only the authors have access to. Electronic files will be kept for three years and then permanently deleted.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

This study received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.