Our dance stories

This research examines how people foster local approaches to social unity through dance performances, writes NAOMI FAIK-SIMET

THE Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies (IPNGS) has collaborated with the National Institute of Creative Arts & Industries of the University of Auckland (UOA) in New Zealand in research on a project entitled “Our Dance Stories”.
The project was initiated by the dance studies division of UOA and investigates the creative practices, learning approaches, and diverse stories of dance artists and teachers around the world, as they negotiate cultural modernity and globalisation.
The research focuses on three distinct regions–the South Pacific, the South Mediterranean, and the South China Sea–and is taking place between Dec 1, 2009 and Dec 31 this year . Funding for the research is from the UOA’s summer scholarships and the faculty research development fund.
This research examines how people within these regions foster local approaches to social unity through dance performances. It also aims to provide a comprehensive documentation of such teaching and learning practices and contexts through the eventual publication of three books, each focussed on one of the regions in the study.
The project involves interviews with individual participants, and observation and photographic documentation of them in festivals, concerts, dance classes, and on other occasions. Participation is entirely voluntary. In Papua New Guinea, interviews were conducted in Eastern Highlands, East Sepik, East New Britain, and Port Moresby. Informants included traditional dancers and choreographers, students, dance artists, teachers and traditional custom leaders.
The collaborative research project began in PNG at the University of Goroka (UOG) during the dance symposium and International Dance Day celebrations in April last year.
Interviews were conducted with dancers who performed at the celebrations, as well as with staff of UOG and the National Performing Arts Troupe. Other interviews were conducted during June and July in Port Moresby at IPNGS, De La Salle Secondary School and the Melanesian Institute of Arts & Communication at the University of Papua New Guinea.
At a village level, the “Our Dance Stories” project was also carried out in Yangit and Waikakum (East Sepik) and Wairiki (East New Britain). Field trips to these areas took place from November to December last year.
A total of 44 interviews were completed; 26 were translated, transcribed, and sent to UOA in February. Not all data could be sent to Auckland because of limited space and the desire to include a diverse selection of dance stories.
One of the challenges of the project was trying to get the dancers to tell their personal life stories connected to dance. This was not easy, since many of those interviewed had little experience in talking about their involvement with dance. A variety of stories was selected and submitted to the editors for consideration. Other remaining data will be kept in the IPNGS music archive for research and educational purposes.
The research has been a timely exercise for PNG, where many dancers and choreographers spoke openly about their personal experiences and the challenges of practising and maintaining dance as a very special part of their life.
Many perceived dance as important to integral human development-socially, mentally, physically, culturally and spiritually. Everyone involved is very much looking forward to the publication of the results of this project.

* The writer is a dance researcher with the Institute of Papua New Guinea Studies