Arts and Humanities in Higher Education· 2026Q1
Unveiling dispositions: The case of the X-factor towards professionalism in dance
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- 2026year
Short summary
Five dance artist-educators identified three dispositional profiles—Disciplined, Adaptive, and Relational Artists—that collectively define the 'X-factor' of dance professionalism, moving beyond discrete traits to clusters of moral, affective, and performative orientations.
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Key points
- Dance professionalism's 'X-factor' is defined by three dispositional profiles: Disciplined, Adaptive, and Relational Artists.
- Dispositions are identified as clusters of moral, affective, and performative orientations, not isolated traits.
- Q methodology revealed tacit values and patterns of meaning underlying professional dance practice.
- Unveiling these dispositional constellations makes the 'X-factor' teachable and assessable.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
This study explores the elusive “X-factor” of dance professionalism through the lens of dispositions—habitual orientations of thought, feeling, and action that underpin artistic practice. Using Q methodology, five dance artist-educators ranked 24 disposition statements, revealing three interrelated profiles: the Disciplined Artist, the Adaptive Artist, and the Relational Artist. Findings demonstrate that dispositions are not discrete traits but clusters of moral, affective, and performative orientations that together form the professional identity of the dancer. Q methodology enabled tacit values to surface as interpretable patterns of meaning, illuminating the hidden curriculum of dance education. The study argues that unveiling these dispositional constellations makes explicit the ethical and aesthetic dimensions of professionalism. Articulating the dispositional “signature” of the discipline renders the X-factor teachable and assessable, offering educators a framework for fostering holistic artistry—what makes not only the competent dancer, but the A+ artist.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. Arts and Humanities in Higher Education, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Field: Visual Arts and Performing Arts
Visual Arts and Performing ArtsArts and Humanities