Dance as a form of intangible cultural heritage: preservation challenges in the 21st century

Abstract

This article examines the contemporary challenges of safeguarding dance as a form of intangible cultural heritage (ICH) and advances a practicable framework for action. Building on a narrative review of policy documents (notably the 2003 UNESCO Convention) and recent scholarship, it synthesizes insights from cultural policy, heritage pedagogy, and digital humanities to identify key risk factors - commercial simplification, loss of context through stage-centered stylization, algorithm-driven standardization of aesthetics in digital platforms, and curricular biases that marginalize field-based learning. In response, the article proposes a five-component preservation model that combines: community anchoring and microgrants for bearers; an interdisciplinary educational corridor linking schools, higher education, and mentorship; standards for documentation and open data; curated public representation that restores context; and an ethical-legal framework emphasizing consent, attribution, and anti-appropriation principles. The paper also offers a set of measurable indicators (e.g., age structure of bearers, frequency of local practices, instructional-hour volumes, metadata completeness) and recommends annual “health maps” to monitor vitality and guide resource allocation. While not reporting new fieldwork, the contribution lies in translating dispersed research and policy guidance into operational tools for cultural institutions, educators, and communities. The approach balances authenticity with innovation and highlights how international visibility (e.g., UNESCO listings) must be supported by robust local ecosystems. Additionally, the article takes into account the research of Ukrainian and foreign scholars who analyze folk dance as an element of intangible cultural heritage and trace its transformations, emphasizing the need to combine traditional practices with modern approaches to preservation and knowledge transmission.