The Embodied Venue: Constructing Identity Through Music and Dance

Abstract

This research explores how participation in different dance and music settings cultivates distinct forms of embodied capital and influences identity formation. Drawing on Pierre Bourdieu's concepts of habitus, social field, and bodily hexis, and incorporating Albert Bandura's social learning theory, this study examines the micro-level processes through which individuals acquire, display, and negotiate cultural meanings through dance. Utilizing a qualitative, exploratory interview approach, this research aimed to build on existing research on how space, place, and atmosphere interact with the individual and the collective within the dance and music scene, as well as how individuals interact with each other to “build” the space. Findings showed participation in dance and music scenes aided in skill acquisition and impacted how individuals make sense of their identity. These findings provide implications for dance as a tool for adult language acquisition, personal development, non-verbal communication skills, and overall stronger relationships and community ties.