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Careers To Consider: Teaching Americans to Love Dance in K-12

Heather Vaughan-Southard — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:49:35 +0000

Where do you fit in dance education?

The dance world consists of many different scenes and contexts for learning. There are also a great many variations of philosophies, standards, and expectations.

Photo courtesy isafmedia

If you think teaching in public classrooms may be right for you, read on…

The Generalist

Dance teachers everywhere need to be able to communicate well with their students and think fast on their feet. Teachers in the public school, however, tend to have more bodies and more learning styles in a single class.

The class dynamic reflects students with varied interests in the subject, varied experiences and skills levels within a single group, varied expectations of what a dance class should include, and then there are the social dynamics, otherwise known as the “drama”.

Public classrooms represent a cross-section of a community and not just those that are able or willing to pay for dance classes.

For these reasons, teaching in the public schools can be a great fit for (...)

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Tips for Teaching Toddlers Accompanied By Adults: Part 1

Maria Hanley Blakemore — Tue, 24 Jan 2012 14:25:04 +0000

The favorite part of my week is teaching creative movement to my littlest students.

I have taught 1 and 2 year olds for five years and have crafted a class that is progressive, creative, and fun for young dancers accompanied by their adults. I have learned many strategies for my toolbox and thought I would share!

Breaking Down the Ages

18 months – 2 years old
2 years – 3 years

I find these age groups are the most productive to combine as their brains and bodies grow.

Attire

I don’t require tights and leotard or shoes at this age. Actually, it’s best if they come to class in bare feet. In their bare feet they can feel the floor.

It’s important for them to just come to class and for me to give them a healthy, happy experience in their comfortable clothes.

Photo by Eric Peacock

Getting Familiar (every week)

I open my door 5-10 minutes before class every week. It’s important for them to get acquainted with the space and you before class begins.

Ever noticed that when kids join class late they don’t perform as well? I have seen it many times and I believe it’s because they didn’t have a chance be in the space before taking direction.

I know sometimes that five minutes is all you have to get a drink of water and prepare for the next class, but you can still take time with your door open.

Keep ‘em Moving!

Once the 1 and 2 year olds hit the room, offer play time. I put out balls, hoops, and shakers for them to play with before class begins.

These props are great for conversation starters too! “Oliver, roll me that ball!” or ” Vivian, can you find the yellow shakers?” Use this opportunity to interact with each student and their grown-up, they will love you for it.

When it’s time to end class I put all of the bags and buckets(...)

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History Moves: Using the Creative Process to Explore Dance History

Heather Vaughan-Southard — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 14:24:48 +0000

The history of dance is far from dull and including dance history in your classes doesn’t have to be either.

When we think of learning about history, most people see lectures, thick books, and discussions about plenty of dead people. There are ways to incorporate information about the traditions of dance and the people who shaped them while relating it to the material that students may find more exciting.

Last month I provided a list of ten ways to move beyond steps, making dances that venture outside the norm of assembling favorite movement to popular songs. This enriched way of working leads to many possibilities for students to become aware of their dance heritage and the methods dance icons have used for creating dance.

Photo by George Joch / Courtesy Argonne National Laboratory.

To recap:

Concert Dance, to me, is determined by process – the ways movement is inspired, how it is developed, edited, and finally presented. The style of dance is irrelevant in many respects; it is all about the intent and the journey, which lead to the product.

Let’s draw on those same ten ideas to outline two ways to practically include dance history lessons while going about the usual business of making dances:

A: For a single artist’s view, I have chosen modern dance heavy-weight Merce Cunningham whose development of his own technique, innovative ways for crafting dances, and pushing the boundaries in dance technology provide ample opportunity to explore many aspects of dance.

B: If you are more interested in covering a variety of artists, here is a sampler of artists that have made interesting decisions during the work they’ve created.

1. Choosing Content.

Find content with enough depth that it can be explored from multiple angles, voices, and perspectives.

Merce Cunningham: Creating dances “about” the movement potential of the human body, the potential of movement within an established movement vocabulary

George Balanchine, founder of New York City Ballet: Balanchine’s choreography is known for its visual relationship to the musical score. Balanchine’s early work included direct narratives (Prodigal Son, The Nutcracker), his later work revolved around identifiable themes without demonstrating a clear plot (Agon, Serenade). In this sense, Balanchine offers three different ways in which content can be explored.

2. Choosing Genre.

Which style of dance best suits the idea or concept you are presenting?

Merce Cunningham: Modern Dance choreographer whose movement relates well to other types of dancers. This example allows for the discussion of how technical concepts are experienced differently or similarly based on styles of dance. Example: Cunningham’s use of spine, port de bras, and weight shift can be compared similarly to classical ballet and yet very differently to other types of modern dance such as release technique.

Twyla Tharp, versatile choreographer with major works in post-modern (Eight Jelly Rolls, The Fugue), contemporary ballet (When Push Comes to Shove, Sinatra Suite), and musical theatre “jazz” (Hair, Movin’ Out).
If any choreographer epitomizes versatility, it is Twyla Tharp. Working from a strong personal point of view, Tharp relies heavily on technique and the fundamentals of movement and thus can easily relate to many kinds of dancers and audiences.

3. Choosing Movement.

Is the idea behind the piece best represented by technical movement, gestural movement, or a combination?

Merce Cunningham: Again, creating within an established movement vocabulary, Cunningham explored possibilities physically first but later in his career used a computer program, Dance Forms, to inspire new movement threads before teaching them to his dancers.

Bill T. Jones: a self-proclaimed liberal artist. This is a choreographer who masterfully ebbs and flows between codified and gestural movement based on what the piece needs. Please note, when looking for video samples be sure to preview before watching with students. His work takes on many topics and some are more suitable for high-school aged dancers and older.

In jazz, Bob Fosse offers a rich example of stylized movement vocabulary that allows each piece to look different while still reflective of the Fosse trademark swag.

4. Choosing structure.

Dances don’t have to be choreographed from beginning to end. Try creating large movement phrases that can be ordered in different ways, layered in contrasting movement, or fragmented.

Merce Cunningham: The pioneer of chance operation as a choreographic device, Cunningham created methods such as rolling dice to determine the order of movement, order of works within a concert, and other production elements.

Explore the range Romantic, Classical, and Neo-Classical ballet to discuss structuring story and structuring movement. Martha Graham offers great examples of how to structure these principles as well as movement for solos or large groups.

5. Choosing sound.

Does the piece need music or could it be danced to text, silence, or unconventional sound?

Merce Cunningham: search out his collaborations with John Cage or the use of dueling stories in How to Pass, Kick, Fall, and Run.

Pearl Primus, a modern dance choreographer and anthropologist: Primus created Strange Fruit, set to the poem of the same title by Lewis Allen. This is also a nice example of how dance can be used to discuss other subjects such as the African-American experience within American culture.

6. and 7. Choosing alternate methods for coaching ideas and movement within rehearsal.

Find the unison in intent rather than (just) the unison of performance.

Watch choreographers rehearse their dancers in A Lifetime of Dance about Merce Cunningham and Dancemaker, about Paul Taylor.

Check out Daniel Nagrin‘s book, The Six Questions: Acting Technique for Dance Performance.

7. Choosing production elements.

What kind of showing is best? How important are costumes? Lights?

Merce Cunningham and collaborators believed dance, music, and set design should co-exist in space and time rather than depend upon one another.

Explore choreographers such as Anna Halperin, Doug Varone, and Liz Lerman and their use of site-specific dance. Google site specific dance for a long list of artists (and video samples of their work) creating this way both in the past and in the present. Although site-specific dance does not necessarily mean outside, here is article that offers valuable information on non-traditional performance spaces.

8. and 9. Choosing your value system and Choosing your method for reflection.

What determines good v. bad? How do you measure the success of the process as well as the success of the work?

Consider re-evaluating how you talk about choreography. Some interesting reads on this are by Larry Lavender (Dancers Talking Dance) and Liz Lerman (Critical Response Process: A Useful Method for Getting Feedback On Anything You Make from Dance to Dessert).

The artists listed here are a mere sampling of a larger pool of artists that relate easily to any and all of these segments of the creative process. Many of the artists listed are established modern dance choreographers, however, there are a great many choreographers from ballet and jazz worlds also working within the concert dance philosophy and developing interesting creative processes, too.

In developing lesson plans, realize how important it is for students to SEE dance and include opportunities to do this.

The newly available Jacob’s Pillow Interactive, dance company websites, clips from Youtube, PBS broadcasts available for purchase, or materials available through your library should make much easier than even a few years ago.

Here are some additional ideas for teaching the History and Evolution of Dance, and for leading students through the process of making their own dances.

How do you explore dance history in your classes?
What recommendations for source material would you add to those above?

© Heather Vaughan-Southard for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Beyond the Bubble, Blog, Choreographing, Dance Media, Dance Styles, Dancethropology, Film/Video, For Classroom, History of Dance, K-12, Modern/Contemporary, Teaching | Who's talking about this article?

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Creative Process: 10 Ideas for Moving Beyond the Steps

Heather Vaughan-Southard — Fri, 11 Nov 2011 13:20:51 +0000

I view dance as THE liberal art.

When working within the concert dance realm, we combine movement with music, acting, and principles of visual art while exploring topics in other academic disciplines. This helps provide meaning behind each motion and informs the process by which we create.

When I hear some K-12 (and studio) dance educators talk about the works they and their students present, I often feel they are missing what I consider to be my favorite part of teaching- getting kids to think about real things in real ways. This should include the field of dance.

“The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.” - Don Williams, Jr. --- Photo by Ian Sane

But what if your career has never ventured into professional dance performance? What if your college dance experience only explored a small number of methods in making dances? What if your understanding of process means little more than practicing dances over and over until they are “performance ready”? What does “performance ready” even mean?
.
Concert Dance, to me, is determined by process- the ways movement is inspired, how it is developed, edited, and finally presented. The style of dance is irrelevant in many respects, it 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. The order of these events could certainly be played with, as could the methods for determining these events.(...)

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A Head Start On The Holidays

Nichelle (admin) — Sat, 29 Oct 2011 13:21:06 +0000

With each year it seems department stores kick off the shopping season earlier and earlier. It’s Halloween weekend and Thanksgiving’s a month away! And now you’re thinking, “Oh no, not Dance Advantage too!”

BUT, with so much going on around the holidays – informal parent observations, formal performances, not to mention all your shopping, cooking, traveling, and other family obligations – it is important to think ahead.

However, that doesn’t mean you have to think too hard! With the choreography, music, and class ideas below I hope to lighten your load a little so that you can focus on more important things this time of year.

Ready-made Holiday Choreography

Downloadable holiday routines are available at DancesToGo.com. Three of them are my choreography:

A Little Angel - Parents will appreciate this silly holiday number for young children, age 3-5. It does feature Santa and mentions prayer in the lyrics, but is mostly about all of the naughty stuff little ones TRY to resist in anticipation of Christmas. It’s fantastically fun with plenty of repetition.

The Little Christmas Tree – This touching and elegant number for 5-8 year-olds could be used for holiday celebrations or informal performances. It works best for(...)

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The Costume “Blackout” Keeps Choreography Center Stage

Heather Vaughan-Southard — Wed, 12 Oct 2011 13:30:00 +0000

It never seems to fail.

Whenever I introduce a new composition assignment that leads to a performance opportunity, about 30 seconds in to the discussion, students stop talking about their choreography and start talking about costuming.

"Blackout"

I have now reached a place that I finish my introductory sentence with, “and this will be created in ‘blackout’ “ which means we’ll present these works in black leotards and pants. If in the end I feel the students have sufficiently navigated the creative process and their dances do speak for themselves, I lift the restriction and allow them to costume their dances.

I chose the phrase “blackout” to reference the cutting of lights after a piece, a moment filled with closure and potential for the next creation.

My point is that I want students to momentarily forget everything that they’ve created before, and start with a blank slate. A black out brings us back to neutral – a place of honest investigation and motivation. Hopefully.

It is important that young choreographers dress the movement before dressing the body to ensure their composition is doing the communicating.

Other Neutral Spaces(...)

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If Silence Is Golden, My Studio Lobby Is Violet

Nichelle (admin) — Mon, 10 Oct 2011 13:30:47 +0000

…And I’m Turning Red!!

(If you don’t get that headline, please refer to the accompanying color wheel.)

The opposite of gold on the color wheel is violet.

LinkedIn is not only a great way to connect to others in your field but its Groups feature offers a fabulous forum for asking questions and sharing ideas with peers. I’m a member of the Dance Teachers/Studio Owners group where recently a member presented the problem she was having keeping her school’s viewing area quiet.

Be it your lobby, viewing room, hallway, or waiting area, I’m sure you’ve dealt with noisy patrons (namely siblings, waiting dancers, or possibly the worst offenders: parents)!

According to the responses on LinkedIn this studio owner was definitely not alone! I’ll summarize the suggestions and share some solutions of my own.

Then it’ll be your turn – let us know how you’ve solved this common problem. What worked, what didn’t?

How To Quiet The Clientele

Mixing Media

Showing movies/DVDs was often suggested and is actually something the original poster had already been doing. So obviously this one isn’t surefire (is anything?).

You might try diversifying your options and displaying recital videos, kids shows or family friendly movies, providing an array of books, magazines, toys, and games. Someone even suggested (...)

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You Must Love Dance to Stick to It — Talking About College Dance

Heather Vaughan-Southard — Thu, 08 Sep 2011 13:25:06 +0000

Fall is exciting: the sound of marching bands, cooler weather, Dankso® clogs deliciously back on our feet.

While fall is a great time for educational beginnings as we meet new or returning students and embark on new journeys, it is also a time to start talking about certain “ends” with your students.

The College Opportunity

Photo by Abby Hudgins

The Dance Advantage College Guide is a great series on the topic of dance in higher education. These articles will help you understand how to find the right program for your student, what your student may expect once he/she arrives on campus, and provide further valuable sources.

But there is more to the college discussion than what kind of program suits your student.

My goal is just to get kids on campus.

I use Dance as a gateway to discuss college. Period. A major or a minor in dance can lead to a great number of career options that use dance education in important and innovative ways. Due to the structure, rigor, and creative nature of dance, dancers tend to be successful in many other aspects of education and life. Vicki Nelson lists the how and why in her article, 10 Credits Dancers Take With Them to College.

The arts produce creative thinkers, able to connect subjects, and develop pathways that standard students may not initially consider.

If they end up majoring and minoring in dance, great. If not, (...)

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11 Ways To Create A Positive Atmosphere In Your Dance Classes

Guest Contributors — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 13:30:59 +0000

Today’s guest post is by belly dancer, teacher, and DanceCostumes.com writer, Erica Rhodes.

As you may have noticed, Dance Advantage is POSITIVELY focused on getting your dance year off to a great start. So, be sure to check out the related reading links within the article.

There are many reasons students walk in to take their first dance class, ranging from a love of the art to trying something new. Many dance students find that learning to move their bodies helps develop a more positive self-image. It’s not surprising, as learning to feel comfortable in your own body can often times can carry over to all aspects of life.

When students feel good about themselves in dance class, they enjoy their experiences more. This increases student retention and can inspire your class size to grow. You, the instructor, can enjoy knowing that you’re giving back to the community, when your students begin to experience a change, not only physically, but in mind and spirit too.

How can instructors help students think more positively about themselves?

Photo courtesy Brendan Lally Photography; dancer: Letitia, Ammara Dance (www.ammara.ca)

Words of encouragement and a positive atmosphere go a long way. Here are some suggestions to help instructors foster a healthy self-esteem in their students:

Give students plenty of support and encouragement. For many new students, dance is challenging. It can be frustrating when even the most basic moves seem much too difficult. Reminding students that everyone had to start somewhere and even the best dancers in the world faced challenging movements when they started out, as well.

Be free with your compliments. Everyone loves to hear good things about themselves and their skills, especially when trying something new. Make sure to compliment every student , even if it’s not during every class. This can be a great mark of their improving skills.

Eliminate negative talk about bodies. While constructive criticism can help students improve their skills, negative criticism is very damaging to a student’s self-esteem. This is especially important with negative self-talk and negative body talk. Comments like, “You’re so thin!” and “I’m so fat!” can have an effect on the whole class. It’s not just the student that is being spoken about or the student talking about themselves that feels the judgment, but the whole class may feel the need to compare themselves to that person. It’s better to avoid those judgments all together.

Keep criticism upbeat and positive. Delivering all criticisms in a positive tone helps encourage students to improve their skills, but also takes away the sting of feeling like they just don’t get it. The easiest way to keep things constructive is (...)

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How To Help Your Students Conquer First Day Jitters

Stacey Pepper Schwartz — Mon, 22 Aug 2011 13:20:34 +0000

First day jitters. We all get them. It’s natural.

So how do we help our students deal with the butterflies in their bellies?

Talk about it.

Share your feelings, your love of dance and your excitement about teaching a new class.

Ask the children if they like to dance. Do they like to dance in the bathtub? In the living room? In the car? Where else do they like to dance? Do they dance by themselves? Do they dance with other children? Do they dance when they are happy? Sad?

How about when they have butterflies in their bellies? Ask a child to show you how she dances with butterflies in her belly.

Share the activities you have planned.

To help the children with the unpredictable nature of being in a new class environment share with them the activities of the day.

For example: (...)

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Smooth Start: Letting Dancers Know What To Expect

Heather Vaughan-Southard — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 13:26:44 +0000

When I was in grad school and arriving for a rehearsal, I entered the studio with several dancers and a musician. As soon as we walked through the door, the musician asked, “Does that happen every time you enter a studio?”

We all sort of looked at each other, wondering what she was talking about. She commented that our energy immediately calmed and she felt there was a palpable change in the group dynamic. She then asked why we thought that would happen. The answer seemed obvious to me.

“We know what to expect here. We know what is expected of us.”

Even though this was a familiar but not commonly used space, and we were a new cast of varying relationships and histories, we found commonality based on our previous experiences, our relationships to dance, and our unified goals for the time we shared together.

Courtesy Stuart Spivack

Introducing class procedure unifies the group and it builds a bridge for our communication.

As I’ve gained experience teaching in a public school setting, I realize introducing etiquette and procedures is critical in setting the tone for my class, my approach to classroom management, and daily function in a large space with many bodies and varying degrees of interest in dance.

I’ve since decided it is a great practice for private studio teaching, too.

Essentially, it allows students to see how I “teach” before much is expected of them in terms of participation. They may still be intimidated by the thought of dancing in front of people, but at least they fully understand the logistics of how to take class before we really get started.

What I Do on Day One

So here is my first day of each semester. It may seem remedial, but I want to emphasize how we cannot assume anything in the classroom. We must be prepared to start at ground zero and meet students where they are.

Door to Door Service:

Meet students at the door and invite them to wait in a specified location (if your space has many physical features, as mine does).

Once all students have gathered, welcome them to the class (name the class) and offer a very brief description of the content they’ll explore over the course of the semester.

Lead them to the where the “dance academic” portion of your class will take place. I like to do this first since this tends to be the aspect new students least expect but is such an integral part of my courses. “This is dance class, why do we have to read and write?!” Sound familiar?

This may be the chalkboard and bulletin boards where they’ll find valuable information such as:

a list of daily activities, concepts/vocabulary,

writing prompts,

performance details, etc.

class calendar

a list of class procedures

a posted copy of the syllabus

And may also include the location of:

dance related reading materials that may be borrowed,

where their journals may be stored for quick class transitions

assignment submission/return trays

extra credit assignments

music request sheets

Tour the dressing rooms with an explanation of dress code and explanation of time limits allowed to change at the beginning and end of class.

Invite them to studio space and treat it as sacred ground.

At this point, we play a name game or other icebreaker that gets them moving and thinking about assembling movement.

Here we also discuss class structure, what I expect from them and what they can expect from me.

We also review the syllabus which contains:

My professional contact information as well as all of the details regarding attendance, grading, dress code, required supplies, performance dates, and other important information.

I have recently also started to include my policy on not “friending” students or parents on my personal Facebook account until after the student graduates. I have created a page for our dance program where I post dance –related articles, links, performance information, and other appropriate information.

Set them up for success

Instead of getting frustrated when students don’t behave appropriately in class or while watching a dance concert for the first time in their lives, this approach allows you to channel your energy in the right places.

In a few sentences, state what is expected of them and a very clear consequence if they choose not to meet those expectations.

Strive to be as consistent as possible.

When your students perform, begin the presentation by letting the viewers know a little of what they’ll experience and how they can best support the dancers (applauding between dances instead of calling out names).

When you invite a guest artist in to teach, make clear how this class may vary from your standard procedures and instruct students with how they need behave professionally in the face of change.

When you attend live performances, address the code of conduct expected from when you leave the school to when you return. Do all of this even if you think they may already know.

It is the fair thing to do. We can’t hold them responsible if they’ve never been taught these things. And we are all more comfortable and open to possibilities when we know a little of what we can expect.

Check out these other Dance Advantage articles relating to expectations:

Backstage Bliss: 11 Guidelines for Students in a Dance Recital.

Checklist: What To Do When You Welcome A Guest Teacher

16 Audition Basics and Pointers for Keeping a Positive Perspective

How to Act (And React) Like a Professional

Mustering Their Motivation

Little things lead to big things.

I teach in a large auditorium with 12 escape routes, lots of dark corners, and dressing rooms in a lower level. In my school, we have challenges; some of them monumental.

Students often skip class. Sometimes they skip a single period. Sometimes it is a day. Or, it is weeks at a time. Some students refuse to participate in any subject, including dance. Some won’t change their clothes into something they can move in. Some don’t have much to change into. A few won’t even stand up.

I often wake in the night worried about what else I can be doing to get them or keep them engaged. Phone calls home, letters, individual conferences with students, parents, etc….little seems to help if the realities of their lives get in the way or if they’ve decided to fail. But, I have found that tending to the small things can alleviate some of the initial discomfort and extends the duration of their success.

It can be the small things that have actually kept them coming to class, dressing, participating, and most importantly communicating.

Last fall, a student literally said “this class is the reason I come to school.” She came back on the last day of school before graduation to tell me that she’d made it and to give me a hug.

How do you tend to the small things?

Please feel free to share your best practices in how we can make the most of the time we share with our students.

© Heather Vaughan-Southard for Dance Advantage, 2011. | Permalink | Category: Blog, Featured, For Classroom, K-12, Teaching | Who's talking about this article?

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Teaching Happiness With Every Leap

Stacey Pepper Schwartz — Mon, 25 Jul 2011 13:45:40 +0000

I saw my first back to school commercial the other day. Last month I wrote about wrapping up the year and now here I am preparing for a new year of teaching!

I am reading a wonderful and informative book entitled Raising Happiness: 10 Simple Steps for More Joyful Kids and Happier Parents by Christine Carter.

It is not about giving children what they want or lavishing them with praise. It is about teaching them how to deal with disappointment, resolve conflict, and focus on effort as well as achievement. As a parent, I am finding the book useful to teach my child how to adapt to new situations, be optimistic and resourceful. If I find this helpful as a parent, I know the concepts can be a helpful tool for teachers as well.

Here are some of the valuable ideas I have taken from the book:

Focus on the effort involved in the achievement versus the achievement alone.

Praising a child’s commitment to achieving a goal (like a leap or turn) will pave they way for more achievement.

For example, if you say “Jamie, you have been working hard keeping your legs straight when you leap. That was a beautiful leap! Your hard work paid off,” you are complimenting your student not only on his success but the effort, time and energy it took for him to obtain his goal. This will encourage your student to put effort into mastering other skills.

If you say “that was a beautiful leap,” then the end product (the leap) is praised but the feedback does not include other aspects of the child’s accomplishment and will not impact the learning process.

Model optimistic behavior

I undoubtedly have technical difficulties with my music player, be it a CD, tape player or iPod.

I used to say things like “this CD player never likes me,” or “I can never get this to work right!” I am usually frustrated and feeling rushed when the CD player is eating my discs.

What I learned from the book is that fostering optimism starts with the adult. I am being pessimistic if I blame myself for the music stalling, even if I say it in a silly way. Instead I can reframe it and say “This CD player is falling asleep, let me see if I can wake it up!” The CD player is responsible for the action instead of me.

Convey positive messages

There are other ways teachers can instill positive messages in class.(...)

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Boosting Test Scores Through Movement

Heather Vaughan-Southard — Thu, 14 Jul 2011 13:46:17 +0000

The elements of dance, such as Space, Time, and Energy are not new concepts for most K-12 dance educators but are often new even to students that have been studying dance for several years in other settings.

Dissecting these topics allows us to discuss dance performance and creation from an objective perspective, providing us with tools that can enhance our articulation of intent either as the dancer or as the informer.

If these concepts are new to you, peruse the following brilliant articles by Stacey Pepper Schwartz for more information. Teaching Dynamics: It’s All in the Effort; Space: Inside, Outside, and Through

Teaching in the K-12 scene (and great private studios that really care about assisting the development of well-rounded people) requires that we explore dance in a larger scope than most expect.

What may not be as readily considered by the average instructor is how these concepts can facilitate larger discourse and help students connect ideas to other subjects or discussions they are having throughout their academic day and their lives.

Time is of the essence!

Journals can be used to support this development of thought and further guide class discussion. If students can organize their thoughts prior to class discussion, the flow of conversation increases and the quality of the dialogue is enhanced.

Here are some examples of how to project our dance elements onto mainstream notions important in the production of engaged citizens:(...)

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Simple, Useful Tools For Your Ballet Classes

Nichelle (admin) — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 13:44:40 +0000

What teacher doesn’t like to be bursting with new ideas and practical tools at the start of a new season?

Seeing no hands raised, I’d like to introduce you to two great resources offered to me for review by Dance Teacher Press.

The Ballet Combination Book

The Ballet Combination Book is what started it all for Janet Jerger, a veteran dance teacher from the Midwest who decided to put together her notes and combinations developed over the years into a resource for others.

Just shy of 60, roughly 8 x 11in. pages, the paperback is thin enough to slide into your class binder or notebook for reference but contains more than 250 combinations for ballet class.

These are organized simply in a general class order, from Plié to Reverence. Plus, a few extra turn-out exercises for the floor and standing, occasional teaching tips, a condensed glossary, CD recommendations, and some guidelines for use of the book.

The Ballet Combination Book isn’t weighed down with class level recommendations for barre and center combinations. It lets the teacher choose (...)

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Organizing Your “Dance Closet”? Don’t Forget These To-Do List Musts!

Stacey Pepper Schwartz — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 13:28:43 +0000

Before I consider myself done teaching for the year I have a list of “to dos’” I organize my costumes, props, music and other odds and ends.

My to-do list also has three important musts that I can not fold neatly into any box or closet. These items need a little more love and care:

Reflecting personally on my year

Gaining input from other dance teachers

Connecting with parents and students one last time

Here is how I clean out my figurative closet.

1. Reflecting Personally on My Year

I review the lessons I taught throughout the year. I make changes to lessons that didn’t accomplish my goals and expand further on concepts and ideas that I found successful. I meet with my teaching assistants and ask how they felt about the year, what they enjoyed and what observations they had. We talk about overcoming any obstacles we experienced including classroom management, time management and the class flow. Of course, I share with them my gratitude for the help and insights they shared with me through the year as well.

2. Gaining Input from Other Teachers (...)

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Dance Advantage » For Classroom

Careers To Consider: Teaching Americans to Love Dance in K-12

Where do you fit in dance education?

The Generalist

Tips for Teaching Toddlers Accompanied By Adults: Part 1

The favorite part of my week is teaching creative movement to my littlest students.

Breaking Down the Ages

Attire

Getting Familiar (every week)

Keep ‘em Moving!

History Moves: Using the Creative Process to Explore Dance History

The history of dance is far from dull and including dance history in your classes doesn’t have to be either.

To recap:

Let’s draw on those same ten ideas to outline two ways to practically include dance history lessons while going about the usual business of making dances:

1. Choosing Content.

2. Choosing Genre.

3. Choosing Movement.

4. Choosing structure.

5. Choosing sound.

6. and 7. Choosing alternate methods for coaching ideas and movement within rehearsal.

7. Choosing production elements.

8. and 9. Choosing your value system and Choosing your method for reflection.

How do you explore dance history in your classes? What recommendations for source material would you add to those above?

Creative Process: 10 Ideas for Moving Beyond the Steps

I view dance as THE liberal art.

A Head Start On The Holidays

Ready-made Holiday Choreography

The Costume “Blackout” Keeps Choreography Center Stage

It never seems to fail.

If Silence Is Golden, My Studio Lobby Is Violet

…And I’m Turning Red!!

How To Quiet The Clientele

You Must Love Dance to Stick to It — Talking About College Dance

The College Opportunity

My goal is just to get kids on campus.

The arts produce creative thinkers, able to connect subjects, and develop pathways that standard students may not initially consider.

11 Ways To Create A Positive Atmosphere In Your Dance Classes

How can instructors help students think more positively about themselves?

How To Help Your Students Conquer First Day Jitters

First day jitters. We all get them. It’s natural.

Talk about it.

Share the activities you have planned.

Smooth Start: Letting Dancers Know What To Expect

“We know what to expect here. We know what is expected of us.”

Introducing class procedure unifies the group and it builds a bridge for our communication.

What I Do on Day One

Door to Door Service:

Set them up for success

Little things lead to big things.

How do you tend to the small things?

Teaching Happiness With Every Leap

Here are some of the valuable ideas I have taken from the book:

Focus on the effort involved in the achievement versus the achievement alone.

Model optimistic behavior

Convey positive messages

Boosting Test Scores Through Movement

Time is of the essence!

Simple, Useful Tools For Your Ballet Classes

What teacher doesn’t like to be bursting with new ideas and practical tools at the start of a new season?

The Ballet Combination Book

The Ballet Combination Book is what started it all for Janet Jerger, a veteran dance teacher from the Midwest who decided to put together her notes and combinations developed over the years into a resource for others.

Organizing Your “Dance Closet”? Don’t Forget These To-Do List Musts!

1. Reflecting Personally on My Year

How do you explore dance history in your classes?
What recommendations for source material would you add to those above?

**How do you tend to the small things?**