The Hidden Curriculum in Dance History Classes: “The Unwritten History of Dance”

This article addresses the hidden curriculum of dance history classes and syllabi. It is based on an exercise I offer in my courses as a tactic of resistance and re-existence, addressing a certain alienation in relation to dance history, where values such as neutrality or objectivity still play a role to support the universalism and positivism of banking pedagogy. In these classes, the personal history, emotions, and goals of the students are not considered. The exercise I use aims to address these elements, and this article argues for more critical, physical, and emotional engagement in the classroom and in dance historiography.