Young, talented dancers in contemporary dance training: widening participation and fair access, rhetoric or reality?

Abstract

Socio-economic disadvantage can be a significant barrier to accessing high quality dance training for young, talented dancers. Government policy and strategy relating to widening participation and talent development in the UK are premised on raising aspirations and meritocracy. This article uses Pierre Bourdieu’s conceptual framework of field, capital and habitus to examine social variations, that can act as barriers to talent identification and talent development in dance. An interview study was undertaken with 33 talented, contemporary dancers, between the ages of 13-16 years, from a variety of backgrounds, about their experiences prior to and during their participation in a dance Centre of Advanced Training programme. Findings suggest the dancers’ have experienced barriers to access, but also capital gain, symbolic exchange and transformative potential.