Stephanie Ann Houghton Professor

Research overview

Researching traditional performing arts through intercultural dialogue: Great expectations for brain activation Curriculum Development
I am an educational researcher specializing in intercultural dialogue through English education. Through curriculum development for the "FURYU Educational Program" (FEP) based on intercultural dialogue, I am exploring the preservation and activation of traditional performing arts through research projects connected to health and fitness.

■Heritage management and intercultural dialogue
I am currently researching Menburyu, which has been handed down from ancient times in the Kashima region of Saga prefecture. The history and origins of Menburyu are hardly recorded in books and literature because they are orally transmitted, so they are threatened with extinction in ageing society. For preservation and revitalization purposes, I am exploring the research question "What is Menburyu, its origin, and value?" I conduct research using Japanese, English as a lingua franca, and local dialects, taking a plurilingual approach from a variety of cultural perspectives. Here, my research fields of "heritage management" and "intercultural dialogue" are deeply linked.

■Intercultural dialogue and health
In 2018, I started to develop "Menburyu-Inspired Dance-Fitness" (MIDF), which incorporates movements and concepts from Menburyu into aerobics for revitalization purposes, in collaboration with professional fitness instructor Kazuki Miyata. In that process, we are taking a practical, experiential approach with students that includes original dance creation incorporating Menburyu movements, and we hold dance and food events with Japanese students, international students, and local communities. Starting with the concept of Menburyu, "regional revitalization," "memory revitalization," "physical and brain health," and "art creation" are connected through "intercultural dialogue."

■Cultural activation and brain activation
The "FURYU Educational Program" (FEP) is an interdisciplinary program in which traditional performing arts, intercultural dialogue, health, fitness, technology and artistic creation are all linked for the benefit of society. Participation in these activities is thought to be able to stimulate human memory and creativity, help promote brain health, and may help to prevent Alzheimer's Disease. Furthermore, similar programs can be undertaken by any educator. I hope that educators around the world will help to prevent Alzheimer's Disease in the future, and I would like to promote that.