Giving students, teachers, and parents an edge in dance education
Dance teachers teach a lot of classes to earn a living. Repetition makes it easier to organize but harder to keep things fresh. Maria has adapted these 5 ideas to stop feeling like a robot in her preschool dance classes. Try them for yourself to beat burnout and enjoy your classes again.
When young dancers are accompanied by an adult for class it’s not enough to just keep the child engaged. A dance teacher has the added challenge of keeping the grown-up active in their participation. In part two of this series on Grown-up and Me classes, Maria provides tips for keeping the adults happy, too.
Enter to win one of three Ballet Bundles from Dance Teacher Press. Each bundle includes The Ballet Combination Book, Ballet Step by Step, and the new Word of the Week flipchart system. Giveaway ends Feb 18, 2012.
Parent and child. Mommy and Me. Whatever you call the class, teaching tiny dancers comes with a unique set of challenges. Maria to the rescue! She’s been teaching this group for 5 years and has some fantastic tips to share.
When working with students on choreography it’s possible to get them thinking beyond steps to a more robust concept of creative process that encourages thoughtful choices about all areas of production. Heather demonstrated this with her previous article. This time, she goes a step further, showing you ways to connect these ideas with dance history to enrich students’ understanding.
The ways movement is inspired, how it is developed, edited, and finally presented is a process. Concert dance is all about the intent and the journey, which lead to the product. If this idea is new to you, here is a ten-step list of how to engage in a process from K-12 teacher, Heather Vaughan-Southard.
I know it’s Halloween weekend but with so much to do, it can’t hurt to think ahead to the holidays. If you need music, choreography, or class activities, we’ve got you covered. The ghosts of Christmases Past and Present can even point you to some gift ideas for dancers and dance teachers!
Students start focusing on costumes and lose sight of their choreography development and goals. But Heather has a unique method for getting students back on track. While she’s at it, she explains the importance of costuming selection and the messages wardrobe can convey to an audience.
Tired of the noise coming from your dance studio lobby or viewing area disrupting your classes? You’re not alone! Ranging from traditional to creative, here are suggestions for keeping parents, students, siblings – did I say parents? – occupied or motivated to stay quiet. Try them out and see what works for you.
Words of encouragement and a positive atmosphere helps students think more positively about themselves. Our guest writer offers some suggestions to help instructors foster a healthy self-esteem in their students. Plus there’s lots more related reading linked in the text so that you can start your new dance season on a positive note.
Everyone is nervous on the first day of a new class but it can be especially hard for young dancers. This article is packed with great tips for teachers as Stacey Pepper Schwartz shares her methods for easing the anxieties of the children in her classes as well as how she addresses a crying, timid, or non-participating child.
It may seem too simple but introducing class procedure is a step critical in most any class environment. It unifies the group and builds a bridge in communication between you and your students. K-12 dance educator, Heather Vaughan-Southard, outlines her Day 1 process so that you, too can set your students up for success.
