A couple years ago I was speaking with a tenure-track professor in Kinesiology at another institution, telling her how excited I was about conducting qualitative research about aesthetic competence. “Can I give you a piece of advice?” she said. Oh boy. No, but, “Of course!” I said. “Don’t do qualitative research.” The professor went on to explain that qualitative research…

Author’s Note: The purpose of this photo essay is to discuss the philosophical assumptions surrounding potential qualitative research methodologies that might be utilized to describe aesthetic competence and dance performance. It is a culmination of earlier work developed during my time in Dublin, Ireland while participating in a five-week study abroad program in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Chicago…

This post could be subtitled “What I did on my summer vacation…” During a five week study abroad program in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Chicago and University College Dublin, during the summer of 2015, I had the pleasure of working with two undergraduate students on a qualitative research project related to sports psychology and dance. What we…

Author’s note: During the fall semester of 2014 I had the pleasure of completing a strength and conditioning internship at Flames Athletic Center with the women’s softball team at the University of Illinois at Chicago. What follows are a series of reflections written between August and December, 2014, based on my experiences, as I grappled with the question of best…