Dance pedagogy has expanded into hybrid contexts such as the arts and health in elderly care, calling for a review of the current state of the role and professionalism of dance ambassadors in Finnish society. This article addresses dance ambassadors as a specific brand of training and professionalism in Finland. In addition, framed by theories on practical knowledge, tacit knowledge, and professionalism, the article introduces a case study based on the author's ethnographic field work and analysis of the collected data with a descriptive-interpretative mix of methods and thematic analysis on the professionalism of the dance ambassadors who engage with people in late adulthood. These results show that key components of dance ambassadorship include mindful attention and appreciative dialogue. This article is based on my recent research as part of the ArtsEqual Research Initiative, 1 which studies mechanisms of inequality and well-being in publicly subsidized services in the arts and arts education such as the services of dance ambassadors in Finland. Dance ambassadors 2 is a dance-based service concept and a dance educational practice invented by the Dance Centre of Western Finland to engage people in dance in a range of contexts including elderly care. Using data from my ethnographic field work with the dance ambassadors as a case study, my aim is to describe how a dancer who is trained in dance ambassadorship works in elderly care. Also, the aim is to explicate what counts as professionalism-that is, what are some key principles of practice, practical knowledge, and expanded pedagogical competencies-in the expertise of the dance ambassadors in elderly care. In this article, I present the case study in relation to relevant theoretical ideas to show that key principles of practice in dance ambassadorship include what I call mindful attention and appreciative dialogue.The value of the arts for health and social well-being has been highlighted in governmental green papers, reports, and strategy documents in Finland and abroad (Liikanen 2010;Ings et al. 2012;Sosiaali-ja terveysministeriö 2015). Next to experiential knowledge, research is increasingly available on dance, health, and well-being (see, e.g., Dance Southwest and Department of Health 2011; Karkou, Oliver, and Lycouris 2017). This growing body of research evidence points to the positive impact of dance and other arts on health and social well-being. The cumulative results have emerged in tandem with cultural policymaking and as professionals in the arts have been forced to justify their work in crossprofessional contexts, for example, at the interface between the arts, health care, and social work (Lehikoinen 2017). More generally, as Jing Yang (2015) suggested, existing research on participatory arts and socially engaged arts projects illuminates the complex relations between the arts and society. Such research has shed light on some of the opportunities for the arts and arts pedagogy as holistic approaches to contributing to social change in hybrid context...

Proactive coping styles may help students deal with their study workload and stress in healthier ways. In this explanatory mixed methods study, data were gathered among professional students in higher music education in Finland and the United Kingdom about their experiences of workload, stress, and proactive coping. Bivariate analyses were used to explore prevalence of study workload, stress, and seven proactive coping styles among genders, levels of degree, genre groups, and study programs, and investigate whether stress is predicted by study workload and proactive coping styles. Music students’ lived experiences were analyzed to find the determinants of their workload, stress, and coping. Results indicate significant differences between genders and study programs and specific concerns for music students, such as working alongside studying and physical and psychological problems. Higher music education institutions can utilize this evidence to better support music students in their studies and professional careers.

No abstract

The aim of this article is to introduce how the Dance Ambassadors are perceived by nursing staff and supervisors in institutions of elderly care. The Dance Ambassadors are a dance-based service concept offered in various social contexts by the Dance Centre of Western Finland. Three central themes were identified in the perspectives of nursing staff: dance as a form of rehabilitation and support, dance as a contribution to a meaningful life, and participation in dance as a basic right. In the research, a multi-sited dance ethnographic approach was adopted to collect data. Then a thematic analysis was conducted in tandem with a descriptive-interpretative mixed methods approach to code and interpret the data. Social and theoretical frames as well as key concepts including cultural rights and cultural well-being are introduced in the article. In the discussion, some critical concerns are highlighted regarding the rehabilitation discourse in relation to dance in elderly care contexts and the unequal access to dance for people in late adulthood, which stands in stark contrast to the Constitution and its emphasis on human rights and equal treatment. Some suggestions are provided to improve the situation.

No abstract