To know dance culture
is to know the world.
Dancer on the drum: Snorri Mahileo Maldonado
Photographer: Sigrun Saemundsdottir (Tucson, Arizona 2020)
Welcome to Cross-Cultural Dance Resources—the home of Dr. Joann Keali’inohomoku’s vision to develop the field of dance anthropology and where scholarship focused on dance culture frames our work and our mission.
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Dancing on the drum symbolizes the role of dance culture to serve as a knowledge system.
The city of Flagstaff sits at the base of the San Francisco Peaks, on homelands sacred to Native Americans throughout the region. CCDR honors their past, present, and future generations, who have lived here for millennia and will forever call this land home.
Why Dance
Culture Matters
Dance is more than performance—it is a visible expression of identity, values, beliefs, and ideals.
At Cross-Cultural Dance Resources (CCDR), we promote an inclusive, integrated approach to the way studying dance culture reveals knowledge about ourselves, each other, and the world.
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The study of dance culture enhances empathy, fosters connections, and nurtures equity through expressive movement.
Our work continues the pioneering legacy of dancer-anthropologist Joann Keali’inohomoku, who shaped the interdisciplinary field of dance anthropology worldwide.
Its American roots began in 1972 with the extraordinary gathering of dance and anthropology scholars informed by the Pasqua Yaqui tribe in Tucson, Arizona to explore how dance, culture, and place intersect.
Today, we offer educational curricula, scholarly research, expert consultations, and events and programs to deepen understanding of dance as embedded within a rich cultural context.
Joann Keali’inohomoku
Cross-Cultural Dance Resources® Services
Educate
Designing instructional tools and curricula for educators, students, and community groups.
Research
Advocating scholarship focused on dance culture and the field of dance anthropology.
Consult
Guiding development of new and existing programs, events, and grants
to promote dance culture.
Network
Connecting people, places, ideas, and practices through workshops, symposia, conferences, festivals, and residencies that heighten awareness of dance culture.
Have a question or want to learn more?
Our Impact In Action
“Through Cross-Cultural Dance Resources, my experience as a choreographer was positively affected by engaging with unfamiliar cultural realms and information. My work definitely profited from the expanded perspective and insight I gained.”
DAVID APPEL, Choreographer & Dancer
Brooklyn, NY
"Cross-Cultural Dance Resources’ respectful and inclusive approach has transformed how we create interdisciplinary and community-engaged art, bridging cultural traditions and generating lasting legacies."
SAVANNAH WALLING, Artistic Director Emeritus Vancouver Moving Theatre
Vancouver, BC, Canada
Dancer: Gertrude Prokosch Kurath
Join the Movement
CCDR is committed to advancing knowledge that promotes equity, cultural understanding, and societal transformation through dance culture awareness.
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Whether you're a teacher, student, researcher, or part of a community group, we invite you to explore the profound interconnectedness of life through the practice and study of dance culture.
The Legacy of Joann Keali’inohomoku
Co-founded in 1981 by dance anthropologist Joann Keali’inohomoku, CCDR has been at the forefront of dance anthropology in the United States.
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Our origins are deeply tied to Arizona, where Joann was among the first to inspire academic recognition of dance as an essential lens for understanding human culture.
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We invite you to engage with us as we celebrate our 44th year and continue to develop her trailblazing legacy.
Advance Our Dance Culture Community
Don’t miss out–access the Collections for in-depth dance culture content and stay current with our CCDR sponsored Events.
We value your presence, participation, and insights to help our community thrive!