| dc.description.abstract | There are many cases of sociological studies, and studies within different fields, on where creativity happens, why place matters and the relationship between core places and the peripheries. In this thesis, I have studied the case of street dancers in the Stavanger region to see if they can add new perspectives to the existing theories. The local dance community of Stavanger is small and not very advanced, yet it seems to attract foreign dancers, and I wanted to know why. By examining theories on place, marginality, peripherality and the core/periphery perspective, I found what key elements to look for locally. I conducted a qualitative study consisting of semi-structured interviews with four local street dancers, to see if their experiences of living and working in the local community added up with the existing theory. Some of these dancers have experienced being in core places, and could therefore give me perspectives on how the core and periphery differ and how they relate to the core. What I found was that Stavanger is a beneficial town to live and work in, in consideration of a stable and safe job. Being a small community is beneficial as well, because the dancers get more free time to train and explore on their own. On the other hand, there are social and cultural elements that makes it hard to be a hustling dancer in Stavanger. Because the welfare state of Norway, secures its inhabitants from social need, there are studies showing that Norwegians choose comfortability over insecurity. This is evident in the case of dancers in Stavanger, and I explain how through the groupings of “Gliders” and “Hustlers”. Lastly, I look into what strategies the street dancers of Stavanger employ to keep their energy high and to work for a hungrier community, and end with a discussion on how the strategies will struggle to succeed. | |
