A critical and reflexive qualitative study with independent dance artists: Transferring knowledge from creative dance to health and care practice

The study addresses a gap in the dance-health literature by exploring creative dance from the perspective of a non-dancer and health care practitioner. The findings contribute to further understanding the body from a sociological perspective, recognizing dance as culturally constructed. This is a qualitative research study drawing on critical and reflexive ethnographic methods. The themed findings suggest that social and intersubjective relations are key in this dance-health practice. The dance artists, conceptualized as guides within the study, help to facilitate in others a heightened awareness of somatic and subjective lived body experience. The study provokes debate about the meaning and relevance embodiment has for health and care practitioners.