Our lab is eager to understand the lived experiences of performers, such as dancers, and how participation in performance activities may contribute to key adjustment, health, and well-being outcomes. For example, in collaboration with Dr. Dawn Zinga and Dr. Maureen Connolly we are currently using Self-Determination Theory and Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Theory as our theoretical frameworks, to conduct a series of multidisciplinary and mixed methods studies (funded by SSHRC) aimed at understanding the benefits that youth gain from engaging in performance arts, specifically in the areas of recreational and competitive dance. We are excited to learn about what important life skills young dancers gain through their experiences in performance arts as well as the challenges that the dancers and their families may face while pursuing their performance goals. We are also interested in the role that individual and environmental factors play to shape the lived experience of dancers and their families.
Understanding Adjustment and Well-Being in Youth Performers
