Kontakt i Folkdans : -en studie om hur vi skapar förutsättningar för att kunna läsa av varandras kroppar och intentioner

Sammanfattning: This study aims to examine how the phenomenon of connection in Swedish folkdance is experienced and formulated by dancers. Connection is a big part of all couple dances, yet not many have concrete descriptions of it. The empirical data comes from two practical workshops with a focus group in which the participants got to dance and then directly discuss or write down their thoughts. The analysis of the material, which consists of notes and recordings, results in five themes: physical touch and its role in connection, metaphors and inner pictures of connection, technical aspects to create connection, a biomechanical approach and dancing in relation to one’s dance partner. In addition to those themes, the study generates perspectives with which the topic can be studied further. The biomechanical perspective can help understand the logics and functions of a couple dance and the metaphorical perspective appeals to the intuitive part of learning. This study is performed in a Swedish folk dance context but might be relevant to other couple dances as well, both to see similarities and differences in how the topic of connection is taught and discussed in the respective contexts.