Foucault and the Training of Docile Bodies in Dance Education

Describing a typical dance studio class in a university setting is a difficult task. There are diverse dance techniques, levels and pedagogical styles that may be included under the umbrella of “higher education dance.” In addition, dance education includes classes in areas such as African Dance and other world dance forms, social and folk dance, and so forth, which are quite different from modern, or ballet technique classes. However, since modern dance or ballet is a primary focus in so many college and university dance programs, and since there are some commonalities that characterize these types of dance education in the United States, I will focus on these types of classes at the college level.