Abstract
An introduction to the community dance topics within this issue
At no time in history has there been more emphasis on community and culture than now - as we witness communities torn apart by war and the destruction of habitat. Suddenly, the terms social justice, ethical practices, indigeneity and cultural practices have become part and parcel of our conversations around community dance participation. How, we ask, can dance play a meaningful role in fostering healthy communities while also maintaining its status as a contemporary art within the wider community? The Moving Communities International conference on Community Dance, hosted by the Dance Studies programme at the University of Otago in November 2015, both embraced the diversity that is community dance and offered meaningful re-evaluation and critique of the profession as defined by writers such as conference attendee Diane Amans (GB) and the British Dance council. This issue contains a selection of articles arising from the conference presentations.
@ The University of Waikato