My research topic is to explore how soca dance can achieve more international market penetration. Research in this area is important as there is a dearth of academic writing in Trinidad and Tobago as it relates to the performing arts, even more so with soca dance, a genre indigenous to our island. The sustainable development goal that is most relevant to the study is “Good Health and Well-Being.” Kin and Yoon (2022) estimated significant socio-economic contribution of dance education to sustainable development in Korea. The importance of the arts and its impact on psychological well-being has been made astutely evident during the Covid-19 pandemic, where persons turned to online entertainment as a coping mechanism. The pandemic also brought to the forefront that mental stability is just as important as physical health. Rugh et. al (2022) argued that virtual dance classes had a positive impact on mental health and social connectivity. Dance has been proven to have several benefits to psychological and physical health as it reduces stress and anxiety through the release of endorphins, increases social skills and aids in weight loss and improved cardiovascular health. Having taken all these factors into consideration, my focus on soca dance in particular stems from my patriotism, wanting to market our local culture on a global stage.
Kim, J., & Yoon, J. (2022). Estimating the Socio-Economic Value of Dance Curriculum as Public Education in Korea for Sustainable Development: Using Contingent Valuation Method. Sustainability, 14(3), 1635.
Rachel Rugh, Ashlee Humphries, Noor Tasnim & Julia C. Basso (2022) Healing minds, moving bodies: measuring the mental health effects of online dance during the COVID-19 pandemic, Research in Dance Education, DOI: 10.1080/14647893.2022.2078297
[Kes the Band]. (2017, February 26). Kes – Incredible (Tuesday on the Rocks Concert 2017). [Video] YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UuzsIhIMs4I