Liberatory Dance Education: Curriculum Design for Justice-Oriented Futures is a book that invites purposeful pathways for dance educators to explore, gather, and grow in their efforts of building and sustaining solidarity with diverse and marginalized dancers, learners, colleagues, and communities. With celebration, joy, un/learning, and critical rigor, it journeys through the work of movement organizers, abolitionist educators, and radical dance educators and their transformative ideas, stories, and practices. The book shares an analysis of how these multi-disciplinary arenas can interconnect in dance education curriculum design processes in ways that support the needs and interests of dance learners and the need to transform society away from violence and oppression. To encourage these aims, it theorizes dance education, educators, and curriculum in broad, inclusive ways.
Pre-Order: https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/liberatory-dance-education/
Latest SCHOLARSHIP
Alexia earned her doctorate in Curriculum, Instruction, and the Science of Learning and an Interdisciplinary Masters in Humanities with concentrations in Dance and Psychology at the University at Buffalo, SUNY. She also holds a certificate in Embodied Social Justice.
As a researcher, Alexia conducts participatory and collaborative research utilizing (post)qualitative, Chicana/Latina feminist methods, dance research methodologies, arts-based educational research, and critical somatic inquiry. Black queer feminisms, cultural and political somatics, decolonization and abolition are frameworks that guide her scholarship and praxis. Her work examines (1) social and structural inequities in education (e.g., teacher education, early childhood education, dance/arts education), (2) liberatory pedagogical and curricular strategies, (3) decolonial and Black queer feminist approaches to arts-based education research methodologies. She conducts solo and collaborative research on these topics with scholars from universities throughout the US, Finland, and Norway.
Grants from Svenska Folkskolans Vänner
In 2024 and 2023, Alexia's travel to Vaasa, Finland as an arts-based education researcher (ABER) and guest teacher was funded to support collaborative work related to dance education and arts (re)integration. With colleagues Sofia Jusslin and Helena Bichão, Alexia engaged a cross-disciplinary investigation of (re)encountering and re-conceptualizing arts integration using bodily writing and ABER. This led to a 2024 book chapter publication in Kunstfagdidaktik: som kunstnerisk, forskende og oppmerksom undervisningspraksis.
As part of these grants, Alexia also was a guest lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Welfare Studies, Åbo Akademi University and a guest artist at Vaasa Dance School Kipinä.
Vermont Arts Council Artist Development Grant
Alexia was awarded an artist development grant by the Vermont Arts Council in 2024 to present a movement workshop Somatic social justice: Sensing, feeling, and moving in liberatory curriculum design praxis at The National Dance Education Organization and the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association Special Topics Conference in July 2024. The movement workshop supported participants to critically re-examine what curriculum is and can become from a framework of Black queer feminisms, cultural and political somatics, and abolitionist education. This workshop was informed by a book project under contract with McFarland Publishers, which was funded in part through the Abolitionist Teaching Network.
CESS Global Seed Innovation Grant
The College of Education and Social Services at the University of Vermont awarded Alexia $3000 USD for a Norwegian Partnership project. Alexia worked with colleagues at Nord University to explore building an international partnership between our two universities that would afford faculty and student exchange and research opportunities. As part of the project, Alexia shared presentations for the research group “Music-Related Learning Processes” and the Faculty of Education, Arts, and Culture at Nord University.
north star faculty fellowship
Alexia was awarded a North Star Collective Faculty Fellowship through the New England Board of Higher Education in 2024 for her community-oriented scholarship with Latine and BIPOC communities working for reparative justice in dance and education. As part of her Fellowship, she was awarded a stipend and participated in writing retreats that aided her work on developing a Spencer Foundation Small Education Research Grant. As a North Star Faculty Fellow, Alexia built joyful, honest community with other BIPOC faculty working at PWIs across New England over and beyond the duration of the fellowship.
Visions of Racial Justice and Childhood
In June 2024 Alexia was awarded Departmental Professional Development Award funds through the University of Vermont to present at the multidisciplinary conference Visions of Racial Justice and Childhood hosted by Rutgers University. Alexia's presentation, Abolitionist teacher education, shared her work to transform a course called "Diversity in Education" into a course that centered abolitionist education for early and elementary educators. Following her presentation, the peer-reviewed journal Multicultural Perspectives published her article Critically conscious early and elementary educators: Towards abolitionist education in teacher preparation (2024).
Alexia's WORK with the latinx dance educators alliance
Alexia has been an active member of the Latinx Dance Educators Alliance since 2022. She finds deep experiences of community, belonging, solidarity, and nourishment from LXDEA and is overjoyed to be a member that contributes to events and scholarship for and by the community.
Arts + Change Virtual Conference
With LXDEA colleagues Kiri Avelar y Yebel Gallegos, Alexia presented the session Journeying into, through, and with Chicana/Latina feminist curriculum praxes in dance education in January 2025. Alexia, Kiri, & Yebel are three Latine dance artists, educators, and scholars who experience the necessity to shift and integrate non-traditional practices in dance. The session explored the question How can Chicana/Latina feminist praxes inform how arts educators re-culture curriculum and its potential? The presentation was informed by our work as committee members for LXDEA's Convivencia event and work on Alexia's forthcoming book project with McFarland Publishers.
convivencia
Alexia was a member of the content and scheduling committee for LXDEA’s first ever Convivencia, held in April 2024. Convivencia was an in-person event for and by Latine identifying dance educators and was designed to be a culturally revitalizing un/learning space for long term transformation of educational cultures. Alexia was a member of the Content & Scheduling committee, a group responsible for shaping the call for sessions and the curricular approach to the Convivencia schedule and activities, reviewing session proposals, and organizing accepted sessions into the Convivencia schedule. With this committee, Alexia worked to ensure that hierarchies, hegemonic norms, ableism, and anti-Black Latinidad were disrupted and that the collective voice shaped the Convivencia.
plática
In July 2022, Alexia and Chell Parkins were invited to co-host a plática called Pedagogies of Home on Zoom for LXDEA alliance members. In this informal dialogue with Alliance members, Alexia and Chell facilitated dialogues oriented around the questions, What active choices do we make regarding our teaching practices and cultural identity, ours and our students? What lived experiences led us to these choices, or the choices we have yet to make? How is all of this in conversation with or intentional transformation of the systems and institutions that do not serve us?
Research and publish with alexia
LIST OF PUBLICATIONS
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
[6] Buono, A. (2024). Critically conscious early and elementary educators: Towards abolitionist education in teacher preparation. Multicultural Perspectives, 26(3), 203-215. https://doi.org/10.1080/15210960.2024.2405986
[5] Buono, A., & Davis, C. U. (2022). Creating liberatory possibilities together: Reculturing dance teacher certification through emergent strategy. Journal of Dance Education, Special Issue: Dance Education for Children and Youth: Out Future as a Field, 22(3), 144-152. DOI: 10.1080/15290824.2022.2090570
[4] Buono, A. (2022). Fostering somatic movement literacy with young children. Research in Dance Education, 23(3), 316-336. DOI: 10.1080/ 14647893.2021.1879773
[3] Buono, A., & Burnidge, A. (2022). Dancing our microbiome at the science museum: A dance/STEAM collaboration. Journal of Dance Education, 22(2), 98-107. DOI: 10.1080/15290824.2020.1790568
[2] Buono, A. (2019). Interweaving a mindfully somatic pedagogy in an early childhood education classroom. Pedagogies: An International Journal, 14(2), 150-168. DOI: 10.1080/1554480X.2019.1597723
[1] Buono, A., & Gonzalez, C. H. (2017). Bodily writing and performative inquiry: Inviting an arts-based research methodology into collaborative doctoral research. International Journal of Education and the Arts, 18(36), 1-21.
Peer-Reviewed Book Chapters
[2] Jusslin, S., Buono, A., Bichão, H. (2024). Creating conditions for arts (re)integration: Exploring (re)encounters of the whos and whys of arts integration [(Re)integering av kunsst: Utforskning av (gjen)møter med <<hvem>> og <<hvorfor>> I kunstintegrering]. In Pernille Østern, T., Illeris, H., Jusslin, S., Holdhus, K., & Nødtvedt Knudsen (Eds.), Kunstfagdidaktik: som kunstnerisk, forskende og oppmerksom undervisningspraksis [Arts education as an artistic, research-based, and mindful teaching practice] (pp. 49-65). Universitetsforlaget.
[1] Chappell, R., & Buono, A. (2024). Practicing togetherness as communities embodying social justice: What does it feel like and how do we know it’s happening? In K. N. Rainville, D. Title, & C. G. Desrochers (Eds.), Faculty learning communities working towards a more equitable, just, and anti-racist future in higher education (pp. 43-60). Information Age Publishers.
Public Scholarship
[4] Buono, A. (2021, January 28). Teacher education in CI: Experimenting with teacher education in Buffalo (part 2 of 2). Contact Improv Blog.
[3] Buono, A. (2021, January 19). Teacher education in CI: What does teacher education have to do with safer
dance spaces? (part 1 of 2). Contact Improv Blog.
[2] Buono, A., Burns, C., Schroeder, J, & Yamada, M. (2020, December 29). Activist adjuncts: Reimagining power and privilege through antiracist pedagogy. The Activist History Review. https://activisthistory.com/2020/12/29/activist-adjuncts-reimagining-power-and-privilege-through-antiracist-pedagogy/?fbclid=IwAR0sLQ1OIltPYbPzWUbBkuwtVSzqlOz2aiQy9S-Xf-0SAfWJKv0rJVnvWFw
[1] Buono, A. (2018). Collaborative dialogues. Equus-OnSite Blog.
https://www.equus-onsite.org/post/2018/08/05/collaborative-dialogues
LIST OF PRESENTATIONS
Invited Keynotes
[1] Buono, A. (2022). Sensing, feeling, and moving as anti-colonial praxis. Keynote movement session, This is Community: 2nd Annual Conference of the Decolonizing Arts Research and Practice Group, Trondheim, Norway (virtual), June 14.
Invited Sessions
[7] Buono, A. (2024). Storytelling and Dreaming our “Why’s” for teacher education in the arts. Presentation for the Research Group “Music-related learning processes” at Nord University, Levanger, Norway, May 15.
[6] Buono, A. (2024). Early childhood teacher preparation. Presentation for the Faculty of Education, Arts, and Culture at Nord University, Levanger, Norway, May 14.
[5] Buono, A., & Perkins, C. (2022). Pedagogies of home. Plática conversation, Latinx Dance Educators Alliance, Virtual, July 24.
[4] Buono, A. (2018). Why earn a PhD? Panel. Panel presentation, University at Buffalo Undergraduate Research Conference, Buffalo, NY, July 20.
[3] Buono, A. (2018). Somatic movement on the lawn. Movement session, Early Childhood Music and Movement Association International Convention, Buffalo, NY, June 27.
[2] Buono, A. (2017). Promoting health and wellness in graduate school: An interactive de-stressing workshop. Movement session, Graduate School of Education Annual Symposium, Buffalo, NY, April.
[1] Buono, A. (2015). Guided movement, imagery, and mindfulness in early childhood. Workshop, Early Childhood Music and Movement Association, Northeast Regional Conference, Buffalo, NY, June 12.
International Presentations
[8] Buono, A. (2023). Critical somatic inquiry: Methods of practice informed by movement organizers and transformative justice. Paper presentation, The Artful Inquiry Research Group 4th Annual Symposium, McGill University, April 2023.
[7] Buono, A., & Chappell, R. (2022). Emergent strategies for practicing togetherness in tertiary dance education. Workshop, Decolonizing Tertiary Dance Education: Time to Act, Stockholm University of Arts and Makerere University, Virtual, April 8.
[6] Buono, A. (2021). Somatic movement literacy: Decolonizing early childhood education through restorative bodily learning. Interactive session, Bodily Learning, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Virtual, April 22.
[5] Buono, A., & Burnidge, A. (2021). Dance integration: Centering the role of the body in science learning and education. Workshop, Bodily Learning, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Virtual, April 22.
[4] Gonzalez, C. H., & Buono, A. (2020). Transformed by our arts-based research: Actioning into bodily justice in teacher education. Interactive session, The Artful Inquiry Research Group 3rd Annual Symposium, McGill University, Virtual, October 16.
[3] Buono, A. (2020). Fostering somatic movement literacy with young children. Paper presentation, Future(s) of Dance Education(s) Conference, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, (Cancelled due to COVID-19) April.
[2] Barrett, N., Buono, A., & Gonzalez, C. H. (2019). Knowing our research differently: Multimodal and arts-based methods of data analysis and (re)presentation. Symposium session, American Education Research Association Annual Meeting, Toronto, ON, April 22.
[1] Buono, A. (2016). Movement and guided imagery in young children’s development: Toward a somatic pedagogy of consciousness. Paper presentation, 7th Annual International Conference on Visual and Performing Arts, Athens Institute for Education and Research, Athens, Greece, May 31.
National Presentations (U.S.)
[27] Buono, A. (2025). Carceral culture and abolition in education. Presentation, Conference on Intersectionality, Online, May 17.
[26] Buono, A. (2025). Critically conscious early and elementary educators: An abolitionist approach to diversity programming in teacher preparation. Roundtable presentation for American Education Research Association Annual Meeting, Denver, CO, April 26.
[25] Buono, A., Avelar, K, & Gallegos, Y. (2025). Journeying into, through, and with Chicana/Latina feminist curriculum praxes in dance education. Guided discussion proposed to Arts + Change Virtual Conference, January 24.
[24] Buono, A. (2024). Somatic social justice: Sensing, feeling, and moving in liberatory curriculum design praxis. Movement workshop, Somatic Movement in Dance Education: Enhancing Health and Creativity for Teachers & Students, The National Dance Education Organization and the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association Special Topics Conference, Gibney: Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center, New York, NY, July 19.
*Supported in part by the Vermont Arts Council and the National Endowment for the Arts
[23] Buono, A. (2024). Abolitionist teacher education for early childhood educators. Paper presentation, Visions of Racial Justice and Childhood: Inequalities, Identities, Politics, Relationalities and Representations, Multidisciplinary Conference, Rutgers University, Camden, NJ, June 7.
[22] Silvestri, K., Adams, B., Buono, A., & Gonzalez, C. H. (2023). Stories of humanizing assessment: Disrupting, dismantling and reimagining assessment in teacher education and beyond. Working Group Roundtable, American Education Research Association Annual Meeting, Chicago, IL, April 14.
[21] Buono, A. (2022). Justice-oriented teaching practices in CI: How community-based teacher education can help. Panel presentation, Critical Mass: CI@50 Conference, Oberlin, OH, July 8.
[20] Buono, A., & Chappell, R. (2022). Practicing somatic social justice together: Slowtime and spaciousness. Workshop, Arts + Change: Activate, Reimagine, Transform Virtual Conference, Virtual, June 4.
[19] Buono, A., Gonzalez, C. H., Silvestri, K., & Tochelli-Ward, A. (2021). Coalition-building to support sustainable activism for racial justice in higher education. Alternative session, Literacy Research Association Annual Conference, Atlanta, GA, November 29.
[18] Buono, A. (2021). Somatic movement literacy: An embodied learning mode of generating self-awareness, critical consciousness, and healing. Interactive session, 5th Annual SUNY Cortland Literacy Department Conference, Virtual, April 3.
[17] Buono, A. (2020). Fostering somatic movement literacy with young children. Paper presentation, Body-Mind-Centering Association Conference, Geneva, NY, (Cancelled due to COVID-19) June.
[16] Buono, A. (2019). Fostering somatic movement literacy with young children. Paper presentation, The National Dance Education Organization and the International Somatic Movement Education and Therapy Association Special Topics Conference, New York, NY, June 21.
[15] Buono, A. (2018). Re-embodying the data: A restorative justice for Body in research scholarship. Paper presentation, 15th International Congress of Qualitative Inquiry, Champaign-Urbana, IL, May 17.
[14] Buono, A. (2018). Student centered learning – Multiple approaches: Somatics and mindfulness in early childhood education. Roundtable presentation, Dance Science and Somatic Educators Conference, Buffalo, NY, August 4.
[13] Buono, A. (2018). Bodily writing: A studio-based research practice for interpreting data. Demonstrative presentation, World Conference on Movement and Cognition, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, July 28.
[12] Buono, A. (2018). Playing with Laban. Workshop, Early Childhood Music and Movement Association International Convention, Buffalo, NY, June 27.
[11] Buono, A. (2017). Mindful movement and deep breathing for teacher and student well-being. Breakout session, New York Teachers Summit, Buffalo, NY, October 9.
[10] Buono, A. (2017). Embodying a mindfully somatic pedagogy. Movement session, 1st Annual Conference and Festival on the Art and Science of Teaching Dance, Las Cruces, NM, July 28.
[9] Buono, A. (2017). Embodying a mindfully somatic pedagogy. Movement session, 5th Annual Somatic Dance Conference and Performance Festival, Geneva, NY, July 6.
[8] Buono, A. (2017). Integrating somatics, mindfulness, cognitive science, and education: An interdisciplinary theoretical cluster to understand the embodied self. Paper presentation, 6th Annual Behavior & Brain Sciences Symposium, Buffalo, NY, June 2.
[7] Buono, A., & Gonzalez, C. H. (2017). Using bodily writing and performative inquiry as arts-based research methodology in collaborative doctoral research. Roundtable presentation, American Education Research Association Annual Meeting, San Antonio, TX, April 28.
[6] Buono, A. (2016). Movement and guided imagery in young children’s development: Toward a somatic pedagogy of consciousness. Paper presentation, The Dance Science and Somatic Educators Annual Conference, Salt Lake City, UT, August 6.
[5] Buono, A. (2016). Guided imagery, movement, and mindfulness in early childhood education. Break-out session, Early Childhood Music and Movement Association National Convention, Salt Lake City, UT, June 28.
[4] Buono, A. (2016). Yoga and guided imagery in young children’s development: Towards a somatic pedagogy of consciousness. Demonstrative presentation, Graduate School of Education Annual Symposium, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, NY, April 21.
[3] Buono, A., & Gonzalez, C. H. (2016). Dancing a journey of becoming: Using arts-based research to further analyze pre-service teacher data. Demonstrative presentation, Graduate School of Education Annual Symposium, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, NY, April 21.
[2] Buono, A. (2016). Yoga and guided imagery in young children’s development: Towards a somatic pedagogy of consciousness. Demonstrative presentation, Graduate School of Education Annual Symposium, University at Buffalo, SUNY, Buffalo, NY, April 21.
[1] Buono, A. (2014). Movement imagery recognition and understanding in preschoolers. Graduate student panel presentation, NYAEYC Annual Conference, Verona, NY, April 11.
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