Graduation Year
2022
Graduation Month
May
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Bachelor of Arts
School or Department
Anthropology
Major
Anthropology – Medical Anthropology
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Holly Riley
Keywords
pole dance, religion, creative analytic practice, autoethnography, screenplay
Subject Categories
Dance | Other Religion | Screenwriting | Social and Cultural Anthropology
Abstract
This is a research-informed screenplay exploring the relationship between religion and recreational pole dancing. While the popularity of recreational pole dancing has grown over the last two decades, it remains a controversial topic in some circles. This study employed interviews, autoethnography, and a literature review to examine the tensions between pole dancing and religion. Creative Analytic Practice was employed as a method of evaluating and presenting the research, which culminated in a fictional screenplay.
The story is about Louise, a young woman caught between two worlds. She feels pressured to conceal her recreational pole dancing activities in order to retain her job and her reputation among her family and the church community. As time goes on she’s finding it increasingly difficult to manage this double life. This story reflects many of the conflicting themes found in the literature on pole dancing, as well as experiences shared by interviewees and my own personal conflicts and tensions surrounding pole dancing. This study contributes to a niche topic in the broader academic research on pole dancing.
Honors College Research Project
Yes
GLI Capstone Project
no
Recommended Citation
Smith, Anya, "Different Versions of Myself" (2022). Undergraduate Theses, Professional Papers, and Capstone Artifacts. 373.
https://scholarworks.umt.edu/utpp/373
Included in
Dance Commons, Other Religion Commons, Screenwriting Commons, Social and Cultural Anthropology Commons
© Copyright 2022 Anya Smith