Maryland Summer Scholar Awarded to TDPS' Kayla Coutts
May 06, 2014
Kayla will be working with mentor Adriane Fang this summer on her research project titled, "Intersection of Healthcare and Dance Regarding the Absence of Emotion."
TDPS is happy to announce Kayla Coutts (Businesss, Dance '16) as a recipient of a Maryland Summer Scholars award for 2014. Kayla will be working with mentor Adriane Fang this summer on her research project titled, "Intersection of Healthcare and Dance Regarding the Absence of Emotion." Below is the proposal's abstract:
Similarities appear to exist when looking at emotion’s role in the fields of healthcare and dance. While dancers tend to forget emotion when concentrating on technical training, emotionality in medical settings is intentionally discouraged in order to maintain professional focus. Surfacing evidence supports the theory that utilizing the mind, spirit, and emotion in medical settings could improve healing and wellbeing for both patients and professionals. Through observing and interviewing healthcare professionals, while engaging in a creative choreographic process, this researcher aims to investigate both the duality of professionalism and emotion within the healthcare community and its parallel to the nature of performance training in dance.
Kayla's work will be presented as a research-based piece at the dance showing for undergraduate and graduate Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies students on September 5, 2014.
Congratulations, Kayla!