TikTok challenge: dance education futures in the creator economy

Abstract

Dance researchers and policy-makers have studied a variety of pedagogical innovations in technology-use, providing sound recommendations for its integration in dance education. Over the past several years, however, the ubiquity of the internet and proliferation of mobile devices have dramatically changed how teachers and students consume and create content. When young dancers use online platforms that can act as high-speed vehicles for communication and connection, what are the implications for the field of dance? What is a dance educator’s responsibility in supporting students who want to participate in the so-called “creator economy?” The premise of this essay is that dance education is overdue for a reexamination of practices and policies to meet the dance futures we face today. I review the pre-pandemic state of dance technology-use and related educational policies. I articulate the contemporary perspectives and conflicting advice of education and health authorities regarding the use of digital technologies. I then consider the rise in dance of the social media application TikTok, the so-called “creator economy,” and the experiences of its primary content creators: adolescents and young adults. I conclude with an assessment of the changed landscape of technology-use in dance and make recommendations for addressing the concerns raised therein.