The UK & NI Dance Archive Collections Database

Dance archives play a crucial role in preserving the historical record of dance, housing materials used to reflect, revive, study, and analyse this art form. However, with declining physical visitor numbers, it is essential to explore how users access and utilise this knowledge digitally. Therefore, the doctoral research project investigated the future development of online dance archive resources by examining the information-seeking behaviour's of dance researchers and the working practices of dance archivists. This dataset was compiled between 2018-2020 as survey the landscape of dance archives and to contextualise one of the study's participant sample: dance archivists. As a result a comprehensive UK dance archive collection database was compiled using publicly available online sources. The UK Theatre Collections Database (Association of Performing Arts Collections, 2009) served as the initial foundation in compiling this dataset. The dataset compiled details of archives across the UK which hold dance, or dance-related, collections, material or items. It provides details inclusive of the archive name and geographical location. Additionally, it surveys dance archives' catalogue, detailing whether catalogues can be found online or offline and which software the dance archive has used to produce the catalogue. This information was gathered both from publicly information and further investigated through correspondences with the dance archives via email. Moreover, the dataset provides a URL link to the search tool provided by the dance archive online which users can use to search the archive for information, it also lists metadata and interface affordances and outlines particular collections, material or items related to dance which can be found using the search tool[1]. The subsequent development and extension of this list revealed that over sixty archives within the UK and Northern Ireland contain dance or dance-related collections or materials. This newly compiled database provided a statistical understanding of dance archives that had previously been unavailable. Furthermore, it facilitated an informed decision regarding the recruitment pool of dance archivists for the study. This dataset supports future research by providing a statistical understanding of dance archives within the UK and NI.<br>[1] A basic search for words such as ‘dance’ or ‘performance’ were used to locate material relating to dance within the archive searching facilities. This forms the listed dance, or dance-related collections value within the dataset.<br>舞蹈档案在保存舞蹈历史记录方面发挥着至关重要的作用，馆藏资料可用于阐释、复现、研究与分析这一艺术形式。然而，随着线下到访者数量持续下滑，探索用户如何以数字化方式获取并利用此类知识已成为必要之举。因此，本博士研究项目通过调研舞蹈研究者的信息寻求行为与舞蹈档案管理员的工作实践，探讨了在线舞蹈档案资源的未来发展方向。本数据集于2018至2020年间编制完成，旨在梳理舞蹈档案的整体格局，并为研究参与者样本之一——舞蹈档案管理员——提供研究背景支撑。最终，研究团队通过公开在线数据源编制完成了一套全面的英国舞蹈档案馆藏数据库。英国戏剧馆藏数据库（UK Theatre Collections Database，表演艺术馆藏协会，2009年）为本数据集的编制提供了初始基础框架。本数据集收录了英国境内所有馆藏舞蹈或舞蹈相关馆藏、资料与藏品的档案机构详情，所收录信息包括档案机构名称与地理位置。此外，数据集还涵盖了舞蹈档案的目录情况，详细说明目录可在线获取还是仅线下可用，以及档案机构用于编制目录的软件类型。此类信息既通过公开渠道获取，也通过与舞蹈档案机构的邮件往来进一步核实完善。此外，数据集还提供了舞蹈档案机构在线检索工具的URL链接，供用户检索档案信息；同时列出了元数据(metadata)与界面可供性(interface affordances)，并说明了通过该检索工具可获取的特定舞蹈相关馆藏、资料与藏品[1]。后续对该清单的拓展与完善显示，英国及北爱尔兰境内共有六十余家机构馆藏舞蹈或舞蹈相关资料与藏品。这套新编制的数据库首次提供了关于英国舞蹈档案机构的量化认知，同时也为本次研究招募舞蹈档案管理员参与者提供了科学的遴选依据。本数据集通过提供英国及北爱尔兰地区舞蹈档案机构的量化信息，为后续相关研究提供了有力支撑。[1] 研究人员通过在档案检索系统中输入"舞蹈"或"演出"等关键词进行基础检索，以此定位舞蹈相关资料，该结果构成了数据集中"舞蹈或舞蹈相关馆藏"字段的取值依据。