Acknowledging the Body in Leadership: Exploring Experiential Learning Methods Using Dance and Other Arts in Leadership Education

Abstract

This research explores why and how the arts are used in leadership education from a crossdisciplinary perspective, with a particular focus on dance. While there is no universally agreed definition of the term leadership (Bryman, Collinson, Grint, Jackson, & Uhl-Bien, 2011; Jackson & Parry, 2011), various leadership education programmes employ experiential learning methods that use the arts in their coursework to enhance leadership skills and understanding (Darsø, 2005; Shiuma, 2011; Taylor & Ladkin, 2009). These include music, theatrical improvisation, role play, poetry, visual arts, and dance. On the other hand, there appears to be little detailed information about which particular art form can achieve which particular learning outcome in leadership education. This thesis discovers why and how diverse art forms are employed in some leadership programmes, with a particular focus on which aspects of leadership can be fostered and furthered through the arts and dance. The review of literature identifies the areas of communication and human interaction, selfawareness, problem-solving, and collaboration as pivotal to leadership processes. Based on these findings, this thesis investigates how the arts address these key issues within educational settings. In addition, in-depth interviews conducted with 21 leadership scholars and artists who employ experiential learning methods that use the arts and dance in leadership education in North America, Europe, Asia, and Australia provide this qualitative research with global and cross-disciplinary perspectives about contemporary practices in this field. The findings of this study suggest that the arts and dance are used in an instrumentalist manner to aid illuminating ideas and issues relevant to leadership. Through the creative process of dance making, individuals can increase self-awareness and awareness of others by learning how people use their bodies to communicate and interact in diverse contexts. Through the creative process of dance making, individuals can also further develop their problem-solving skills by collaborating with others. The development of these skills can be achieved through a social constructivist approach to teaching and learning. It is hoped that this research contributes to developing better insights into why and how dance can be employed to benefit leadership education.