“Speaking a secret language”: West Coast Swing as a community of practice of informal and incidental learners.

Callahan, J.L.

Abstract

This study reports the findings of a qualitative study of competitive West Coast Swing dancers that incorporated both ethnographic and phenomenological techniques. A modern variation of the original Lindy Hop, West Coast Swing is typically learned in dance studios and non‐profit clubs. The West Coast Swing community can be considered a community of practice in which nonformal and incidental learning occurs for participants; this study explores the nature of the learning that occurs within this community. The nonformal nature of learning the dance itself creates the community of practice; in turn, dancers encounter incidental learning, especially regarding interpersonal communication, as they learn the dance.

Citation

Callahan, J. (2005). “Speaking a secret language”: West Coast Swing as a community of practice of informal and incidental learners. Research in Dance Education, 6(1-2), 3-23. https://doi.org/10.1080/14617890500372974

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Online Publication Date: Jun 20, 2006
• Publication Date: 2005
• Deposit Date: Oct 19, 2021
• Journal: Research in Dance Education
• Print ISSN: 1464-7893
• Publisher: Taylor and Francis Group
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 6
• Issue: 1-2
• Pages: 3-23
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/14617890500372974
• Public URL: https://durham-repository.worktribe.com/output/1231241