15 Ways To Activate Brain And Body During Summer Break

People approach their breaks away from the regular routine of dance classes in different ways. Some take a little space from thinking, living, eating, sleeping, breathing dance and try new things. Some keep their summers as filled with dance as the rest of the year. Some seek out alternative ways to keep moving forward in dance. Whatever your style, this list contains some ideas that will keep both your brain and body active in the off-months, while stretching, stimulating, or simply refreshing your spirit and frame of mind. Challenge yourself to do all of them or pick just a few and be primed and ready to get back to that routine at summer’s end!

1. Dance outside. Okay, where I live in Texas it can get pretty hot in the summer months but, even if it’s just a short impromptu cavort, take your shoes off and just enjoy being outside!

2. Settle in with a good dance biography. Check out this list of Biographies You Can Sink Your Teeth Into from DA’s archives.

3. Make dance part of your vacation. If you are heading on holiday, why not check ahead for studios that hold open classes in your destination city. I’ve done this when visiting New York, San Francisco, and even some smaller cities. It’s always a memorable experience and I always return home with new revelations and increased motivation for class.

4. Visit a museum or take an art class. What’s that got to do with dance? Exploring other arts disciplines and taking time out to be creative in ways besides dance is reaffirming and inspiring.

5. Find a drum circle or contact improv jam. Don’t think improvisation is your thing? Just try to resist the beat of a drum circle. It’s not unusual at all to find dancers of all kinds moving along (children love these) but don’t be afraid to take the initiative yourself. Here’s a listing for U.S. and International drum circles. Contact improv jams often welcome movers of varying levels of experience. Here’s a handy map of U.S. and global opportunities.

6. Perform or work behind-the-scenes in a musical or play. Off stage or on, you will gain valuable production experience and increase your skills in areas that are directly related to dance.

7. Watch dance online. Peek into the professional dance world with DancePulp on Hulu. Each eight to ten-minute video offers a behind-the-scenes look at the lives of dancers and choreographers. Christopher Wheeldon, Andrea Schermoly, Lourdes Lopez, and don’t miss William Wingfield talk about So You Think You Can Dance and combining the concert and commercial career.

8. Start a journal. There are lots of techniques for journaling but the hardest part is forming the habit. Write about the things from this list as you check them off! We dance bloggers like to write about journals (duh!). Here’s an early post on the subject from DA’s archives. And a recent one from Ballet For Men.

9. Take some Yoga, Pilates, Gyrokenesis, or other movement-based class. It’s great cross-training for dancers and if done regularly can keep you limber and strong even with time off from dance.

10. Have a dance movie marathon. Include movies you love with those that you wouldn’t ordinarily pick up. The Dance Advantage aStore lists some of my favorites under DA Suggests – DVD. Here are some blog mentions and reviews of dance movies, too.

11. Produce your own student dance show. This could be formal or informal depending on your situation. The essentials are simply to have students or peers sign up, collaborate, and choreograph their own dances. In the process you’ll learn a bit about what it takes to mount a production (big or small), practice dance-making skills, and have fun while you are at it. Growing up, my studio offered an opportunity to dance in a student choreographed show. It was semi-formal (in a stage space but much smaller scale than a recital), students from inside and outside of the studio were welcome, family and friends attended. It was something I always looked forward to.

12. Create a daily workout, stretch, or moving practice. Set some goals for the summer and then put together just a few exercises that you can do every day. Or if you just need to get moving, make it a daily habit to throw on some music and dance around your living room. A recent post at FitSugar even suggests adding dance to your morning routine… maybe a little plié while you brush your teeth!

13. Read up! Catch up with posts right here on Dance Advantage by clicking on the navigation links under the header or check my offline picks (again, these are found at the aStore). You might also visit the blogs listed with a logo in the sidebar on the site – DA’s Blog Stars.

14. Go to a conference/convention/intensive/workshop. This one certainly takes the most planning but there is still time to get in on some of the summer activities happening at home and abroad.

15. Try water ballet! I’m not necessarily talking about synchronized swimming, although I suppose you could give that a try if like. Get in the pool and try your own underwater ballet class or even some water aerobics to get your heart rate up. Movement underwater is a great way to tone muscles and keep cool.

Do you have more ideas to add to the list?

Add them in the comments!

Teaching Tap Improvisation: Exercises for Beginners

After years of slightly embarrassing moments in front of peers and master teachers, I decided the time had come to develop a thorough improvisation syllabus based on advice from as many great hoofers as possible. I’ll be sharing some of that work with you. Here are the first exercises I present to my students.

Beginning Improvisation Exercises

(Appropriate for students of all ages and levels, unless otherwise noted)

Exercise 1: Group Nursery Rhymes

Goal: Get feet connected to brains, and get students moving!

Choose a song that everyone knows. My suggestion is “Mary Had a Little Lamb” for the first time you try this. Remind them that there are no rules except to dance one sound for each note in the song. Sometimes this will take more than one try, especially if you notice dancers adding extra sounds. Encourage them to leave space during the silence in the song.

If you have very young students (I start them at age 3 with this exercise), have them sing and dance at the same time. If you have intermediate dancers or adults, they can dance without singing.

Exercise 2: “Fancy Dancing”

Age/Level: Beginning Students, ages 3 to 7
Goal: Learn how to dance in an improv circle

All dancers begin in a circle. Choose a fun song that the kids can relate to, with a steady tempo and a good beat. One by one, dancers enter the circle and “show us their best moves” and dance as long as they want! Encourage them to do ANYTHING they want, not just tap dance. This gets them thinking about moving things other than their feet!

Exercise 3: Toes Only, Heels Only

Ages/Levels: Beginners of all ages
Goal: To eliminate the pressure to come up with impressive footwork when a beginner doesn’t have a big vocabulary

Once again, make a circle. You have two variations that you can try with this exercise, both of which help relax self-conscious beginners.

Variation A: Repeat Exercise 1 as a group, but using only toe drops or heel drops. This can also be done one at a time so they can hear their taps, though you’ll need to pay careful attention to their self-consciousness and be sure to encourage them!

Variation B (ages 6 and up): Have each student choose their own nursery rhyme and tap it out with toes or heels. Make the rest of them guess! This is challenging, but fun.

Exercise 4: Pass the Buck

Goal: To learn how to “pass” to the next person

All dancers begin in a circle. Choose a fun song with a steady tempo and a good beat. One by one, dancers either enter the circle (young kids and advanced dancers) or dance in place in the circle (ages 6 to adult) and “show us their best moves” and dance as long as they want! Encourage them to do ANYTHING they want, not just tap dance. This gets them thinking about moving things other than their feet!

When they are finished, they must gesture with a foot, hand or eye contact to the person they choose to go next. If the “passing” is too complicated for your little ones, you can verbally prompt them to pass it to someone, or simply progress one at a time around the circle.

Exercise 5: Bars, Meters & Counts

Goal: To create music awareness while dancing and practice structured improvisational trades around a circle

Begin with a very structured 4/4 song that does not have any strange segues or extra measures. Have all students beat their hands on their legs, clap or snap to the beat. Continue their time keeping, but have them now count out loud – “1..2..3..4″. Be sure you do not have them count “5..6..7..8″. This is a cardinal sin in the music world, as you’ll find out if you dance with live musicians! Explain to your students that each set of four counts is a measure, or a bar. I often use this with my elementary students who are learning addition and/or multiplication. They love when they know the answer to “How many counts are in four measures?”

Once you have explained the concept of bars/measures and counts to them, try dancing four measures. If this is too tough, they can even use toes and heels like before. Have them help each other by counting out loud and holding up fingers for the number of measures that have passed. Everyone loves a little help from their friends!

Note: Remember that each student should begin on count 1 of their first measure and end on count 4 of their last. This will help with students transitions to one another. You can also require them to “pass the buck” once they’ve finished their turn.

–

I hope these beginning exercises give you some ideas for your own classes, or even your own individual improvisation work. Let’s find that creative genius hidden inside your students (and maybe even you)!

For more information or to purchase a complete copy of the syllabus, please feel free to comment below or email me at sarah.mason@PennAcadArts.com.

From Page to Screen to Classroom

Mao’s Last Dancer

Watch on YouTube

At age eleven Li Cunxin’s life was changed when a delegation from Madame Mao’s Beijing Dance Academy selected him to be taken from his home, a village near the city of Qingdao in northern China, and brought to Beijing to study ballet. In 1979 at age 18 he was selected to perform with the Houston Ballet as part of a cultural exchange. After falling in love with both America and an American woman, Li defected to the United States, and rose to fame as one of the world’s ballet stars.

Li Cunxin (pronounced Lee Schwin Sing), performed with Houston Ballet for sixteen years and in 1995 became a principal artist with the Australian Ballet. In 1999 he retired from ballet, supporting his wife and their three children as a stockbroker. In 2003 his autobiography, Mao’s Last Dancer, was published and became an instant success, remaining on Australia’s bestseller list for over a year and a half.

In 2004, Houston Dance Critic Molly Glentzer in her review of the book for Dance Magazine stated, “Li’s tenacity is an inspiring lesson to any reader, dancer or not. It’s the stuff of which great movies are made. Expect this one soon, and bring Kleenex. But read the book first.” A handful of years later, Li’s story is now a motion picture. It has already done well in Australia but unfortunately distribution in the U.S. is still speculative. The film is directed by Bruce Beresford (Driving Miss Daisy), written by Jan Sardi (Shine, The Notebook), and choreographed by Graeme Murphy and his creative associate and partner, Janet Vernon.

See also the book review at Ballet.co

Stars of the Film

Though the production team is largely Australian, the filmmakers of course had to look worldwide for the right cast. The movie’s plot spans several years, requiring not one but three actors to play Li Cuxnin as a boy, a teen, and as an adult. The Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Chi Cao was selected to play the adult Cuxnin. His shared history of having trained at the Beijing Dance Academy and known for his virtuoso performances, Cao was an natural choice for the role.

Cao appeared last month as a guest artist with the Houston Ballet, playing the Nutcracker Prince for four performances in their annual production. HB blogged about it here and Cao talked with Molly Glentzer for the Houston Chronicle about his film debut.

Other notable actors in the film include Amanda Schull (Center Stage) and Bruce Greenwood as Ben Stevenson (Captain Christopher Pike in last year’s Star Trek). You can see interviews with more of the cast and crew at the film’s website and YouTube channel. Read a review of Mao’s Last Dancer via the Hollywood Reporter [link].

Classroom Applications

Li Cuxnin’s story is available in multiple formats. The picture book version “focuses on two stories from Li’s childhood that hold a particular appeal to young children – tying wishes to a kite and a fable told to a young Li by his father of a frog in a well. Both stories illustrate how as a child Li longed for a life away from the hardship of his village.”

[Read more at Suite101: The Autobiography of Li Cunxin: Book Review of Mao’s Last Dancer and The Peasant Prince].

Cuxnin’s autobiography Mao’s Last Dancer is also available in a Young Reader edition for teens. Teachers might use any of this literature to explore movement or develop choreography with students. Below are a few of the major themes presented in these stories about Cuxnin’s life. They might be summed up and explored as follows:

• Overcoming Hardship
  • Challenge students with a difficult phrase or combination. Reflect on Li’s perseverance despite hardship and ask students to come up with a plan (see this post on goal-setting with dance students) for improving or learning this combination in a way that addresses both the physical and mental (or emotional) battles that must be overcome.
• Oppression vs. Freedom
  • Improv or create a movement study of bound versus free flow in movement.
• Chinese Culture and History
  • Research Chinese Dance and the influence of ballet on the art form. View video or read about the Chinese Cultural Revolution. You may find these teacher’s notes from Penguin Books helpful [download the pdf]. Choose movement or music that reflects your findings.
• Adapting to Change
  • Coming to Texas in the United States from China was a big transition. Have students create two lists of adjectives – one describing Li’s life in China, the other his life in America. Have them improvise or develop movement or actions that build upon these lists.

What are some other ways you might tie-in the books or movie in your classes?

Have you seen the movie? What did you think?

Keeping Rhythm Fascinatin’ — How to Make Tap Dance Come Alive

Today, I’m proud to introduce our new columnist, Sarah Mason! Sarah brings a wealth of experience as a dance educator, ensemble director, and  tap dancer to Dance Advantage and will be a regular contributor to the blog. Read on, and I know you’ll be as excited as I am to welcome her to Dance Advantage. Look for Sarah’s TAPography articles to appear bimonthly.

-Nichelle

Tap is such a loaded topic these days. Ask any hoofer, long-time tap teacher or dance aficionado what the state of affairs are in the tap world, and you get a different answer every time. For the pop culturist, tap is a gimmick, as referenced by So You Think You Can Dance and other reality TV shows. For the hoofer, tap is a way of life that many people in the dance world at large don’t seem to understand. For the die-hard student and pre-professional, tap is on the up and up with festivals, national TV appearances, Broadway, and more. And for the tap teacher… well, for the teachers it isn’t exactly business as usual anymore.

Over my last 20 years of teaching tap, the students have changed. The atmosphere in class is different. The expectations are different. And above all else, the attitude and commitment level are different. I could point a finger at the current generation of kids and their “entitlement syndrome”, but that certainly isn’t changing any time soon, and it doesn’t fix our problem. We can look at ourselves, however, and see what we can do to remedy the situation in our classrooms.

It is a very short list of tap teachers that teach tap in way that embeds it in the heart and soul and fosters a love for the art form at a profound level. Ballet teachers like that? Much easier to come by. Lyrical? Contemporary? Jazz? They’re a dime a dozen these days – teaching classes that are emotionally charged and full of gripping content that draws those elusive adolescents in and keeps their attention. Most tap teachers are ballet or jazz teachers that happen to teach tap, as well. Some are underqualified, some are even disgruntled about it – and it’s no wonder, as tap takes a back seat to ballet, jazz, hip-hop, etc. these days. So few kids call tap their “first love”, that it doesn’t warrant an investment in a good teacher by studio owners.

So what is it about tap that makes both teachers, students and studio owners apathetic? The happy dance… the feel good, tip-tap-toe signature has a big red target on it, just begging to be shot down by “critics” looking for meaning in their dance – including those young “critics” moving up through the ranks of the average dance studio. How then, can we as teachers instill the love of tap in our students in a way that ensures the future of this all-American art form? Here are some practical tools that I have tested and used successfully in everything from 3 year old classes to university courses, conventions and master classes. My preference has always been establishing long-term relationships with students and allowing their artistry to unfold over time, including founding and directing world-renowned youth company Footprints Tap Ensemble and establishing my own school, Pennsylvania Academy of the Arts.

How to Make Tap “Come Alive”

1. Do not use a graded syllabus.You are a good teacher, and you have a wealth of knowledge that your students are looking to sink their teeth into. If you must use it as a starting place, that’s fine. But please bring originality to your exercises, drills, etc. The format of my classes is always the same, however, at any given moment, I will allow myself to go in a completely different direction. Today, I had a great plan for a beginning/intermediate class, and I went off on a tone and dynamics tangent while teaching at Penn State. We ended up having a great conversation about tap shoes and how different styles are best served by different shoes. Really useful information for pre-pro college students! Let yourself feel the energy in the room and what needs to happen as you teach.

2. Remember where you came from. All good hoofers can give you their tap genealogy. During my childhood, I was taught by the fabulous Barbara Swanson, who was a protégé of Tommy Sutton, one of the three greats out of Chicago. My artistic mentor now is Heather Cornell, who was mentored by Buster Brown, Eddie Brown, Ray Brown, and more. Where did you come from? Where did your teacher learn? Giving students a sense of lineage gives them a sense of identity and purpose. They have a legacy to continue and someone’s history in their footwork. Don’t know where you come from? I’m happy to help you dig around and see what we can find. You’ll be amazed when you find out that just a few generations back, there were movie stars, headliners, vaudevillians and more!

3. Push the envelope. What is your ordinary pattern of teaching and choreographing? We all get into a rut of doing the same thing over and over again. Creative choreography concepts are hard to come by in tap when everything is “happy”… but it doesn’t have to be that way! One of the greatest pieces I ever choreographed was an über-slow waltz by Sarah Maclachlan exploring the concepts of death and the afterlife. IN TAP SHOES! There aren’t any rules that say you can’t try something new. Your kids will either think you’re crazy or they’ll adore you. Either way, you’ll have kept yourself fresh and kept them on their toes, watching for the unique and the unexpected things you throw at them.

4. Practice improvisation. My first improvisational experience could be graded as a nearly complete failure. At the age of 15, I was thrown into a circle with Jay Fagan, Bruce Stegman, Julie Cartier and a few others in front of the entire Chicago tap community. Not only is the moment one of the more humiliating memories in my life, but it is also preserved on video for all eternity. PLEASE, don’t allow your students to get caught in a situation like this. Far better for them to get their feet wet (so to speak) in class with friends than in front of a crowd or in a master class of strangers. I’ll be posting future articles about tap improvisation, so watch for more tips on how to incorporate this into your classes.

5. Stay hip. Use music they can relate to, even if it’s jazz. Give kids a REASON to love Michael Buble or Diana Krall – explain to them how sweet their phrasing is or how unique the arrangement is and how it differs from the original song. Many times, I’ll play multiple versions of a tune in class, and the room will divide down the middle between those that like one version and those that like another. It gives them a great ear for music, helps them to be critical of phrasing and meter, and it also encourages them to think outside the box when it comes to arranging, phrasing and creating their own works of art some day! Oh, and every now and then, humor them. Dance to Top 40 stuff (if you can find something clean enough to use in the classroom!), and let them do their improvisation to it. Classical music is a gas, too – they LOVE that they can tap to it. Mozart is brilliant for this, because they all know the melodies already. (More on this later, too!)

6. Keep yourself fresh. Commit to yourself that you will stay current in the tap world. Tap is not the same animal it was 20 years ago. It is a baby art form, really, and it constantly changes every time a dancer like Dormeshia Sumbry-Edwards or a Leela Petronio hits the stage. Your contribution is a part of that evolution, so don’t forget to keep your own voice clear and crisp. You have something beautiful to offer your students – keep your instrument well maintained and ready to create!

I’ll leave you with a challenge for November: Find your tap lineage for this month, and see if you can’t Google or look up your “ancestors” on YouTube. Leave your comments and/or links here. We’d LOVE to learn more about each other and all the rich history tap has to offer!

Set Your iPod to Shuffle

Everyone needs a bit of inspiration now and then, particularly if you are a teacher and need to be a prolific choreographer week-after-week and year-after-year in your classes and stage performances. Many, I know, settle themselves in front of the computer and scour youtube for dance ideas but there are other ways to spark creativity. My wheels begin turning when I see or read about the work other artists (dance or otherwise) are doing. However, it doesn’t matter if I’m creating a recital number for preschoolers or a jazz combination for 15-year-old students, ideas can come from anywhere. Occasionally I like to turn my spotlight on stories, notions, images, etc. that I feel might serve as a jumping off point – similar to the one-sentence story starters creative writers use. I’m not offering a how-to or making suggestions for your next masterpiece (though I may sometimes offer possible applications). Mostly I just want to help get your own creative juices pumping. You can let me know if I’ve done so in the comments below!

Experiments with Improvisation, Chance, and Technology

In honor of contemporary dance trailblazer, Merce Cunningham, who recently passed away, I thought I’d present you with ways in which he (and others) have creatively used digital music devices to devise unique dance/movement experiences and performances.

The first example is a work that Cunningham made in 2006 while in his late 80s. In eyeSpace the musical score is loaded onto iPod Shuffles (which are provided for the audience). Using this device Cunningham, who consistently utilized principles of chance and randominity in his presentations, gave audience members an individualized listening experience as they watched the dancers perform. This article at the American Art Museum blog offers a nice description of the event from an audience member’s perspective as well as some insightful commentary on how people view art.

An organization called Improv Everywhere, which is based in New York City, has been doing a variety of innovative and fun group improvisations for several years. They specialize in “organized fun” and have made an annual event of their Mp3 Experiment. This particular mission involves participants downloading an mp3 online and uploading it to their personal mp3 player. A meeting time is arranged and watches are synchronized so that everyone presses play at the same moment. From here, the participants are led through a series of actions and tasks which may seem spontaneous to viewers. You can read more about the six Mp3 Experiments completed thus far, as well as the groups’s other missions, at the Improv Everywhere website.

Another example in dance was demonstrated by The Pillow Project in Pittsburgh last year. During Silent Saturday (part of their Second Saturday series) these dancers moved in apparent silence while listening to their own mp3 player. Audiences, encouraged but not required to bring their own, had the option to watch while listening to their own soundtrack. You can read more about the event at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette website.

These are just a few examples that hopefully will spark your creativity. If you have other related examples, feel free to share them!

Applications

I know some of you are probably thinking “Cute, but how in the world would I apply that at my dance studio?” Though I doubt that many of you will be handing out iPod shuffles to each audience member at your next recital, I do think there are ways to adapt or embrace these concepts for both performance and in-class use.

• Dare to bring a bit of chance to a performance – consider creating a special number that might be danced to a handful of music selections. Your audience will be amazed and delighted that each performance of the dance may be different based on the surprise (even to the dancers) selection for the evening.
• Create sections of a dance that are then performed in a shuffled order unknown to the performers – for more advanced dancers this could be a great challenge encouraging sophisticated memory and performance skills.
• Consider an impromptu and interactive segment within your next presentation during which the audience is led through a series of movements or actions. I guarantee they’ll talk about it for years to come!
• Try shuffling through your own iPod, creating 32 counts of choreography based upon the music you’ve randomly selected, then put the counts together to form a new piece with completely different music.
• Have some students brainstorm their own “mp3 experiment” and allow other students and parents to take it to the public – could be a unique and memorable way to make your studio’s presence known in the community.
• Have your class members each select a song, download each song and load them into your player. Shuffle them and create your next class based upon their selections!

These are off the top of my head, what’s on top of yours now that you have been giving a jumping off point? These aren’t necessarily for teachers only. Students, parents… Get Creative!

Creative Dance for Children and Beyond

Creative Dance for Children

A creative dance class designed for children will help them prepare for a future in dance and other physical activities. In class, dancers are provided with the opportunity to use their imagination, creativity, and self expression while developing skills that are the building blocks of all movement and dance activities. They learn good listening skills, proper classroom etiquette, and how to move safely with other children, as well as learning respect and tolerance for others. Young children enrolled in creative dance learn and practice basic motor skills (locomotor and nonlocomotor movements) and use a variety of music and props which enhance self-awareness, control and coordination. These experiences are offered with consistent structure and provide many opportunities for mastering skills. This creates a sense of predictability as well as a safe place for the younger child to learn cooperation, increase self-esteem, and attain a sense of accomplishment.

Early childhood educators encourage preschool and kindergarten programs that are designed for the mind of a young child because it has been found that most children under 7 or 8 are not ready to be taught focused subjects while sitting behind a desk for long periods. Dance is no different. To benefit from the intense focus and concentration of a ballet class which is very structured and contains extended periods at the barre, it requires a physical and mental maturity not available to most younger children. Children under 7 or 8 are typically neither interested in nor ready for this kind of learning. Creative dance is perfectly suited to offer preparation of the mind and body for a younger student, gradually helping them to learn self-control and increase their ability to focus. This prepares them for the rigors of technique class, just as preschool readies students for reading and math.

What is the difference between pre-ballet and creative dance?

Traditionally, pre-ballet is a class that introduces dancers of about six to nine years of age to the ballet class format (barre, centre, traveling), movements, and techniques (including turnout). It prepares these young students for more intense and detailed ballet instruction. Many schools that teach “pre-ballet” to children younger than 5 or 6 are combining a large helping of creative dance (or something else) with very basic basic ballet instruction like feet and arm positions. This is because ultimately children younger than five or six are not capable of standing still long enough to learn true ballet technique and do not have the muscular control to safely perform most ballet movements. Some dance studios may label preschool classes as “pre-ballet” or “creative dance,” however some classes have little to do with either. These may skim the surface of both disciplines, providing follow-the-leader games, pretend play, and sing-along songs that have little “meat” when it comes to learning the concepts of movement or moving. While these movement experiences are not without value – participants do learn classroom etiquette, following directions, and other skills – they offer little meaningful preparation for dance technique or for expressing oneself through movement.

While dance for young children should certainly be playful and fun, any program for this age group should be taught by teachers with experience and be specifically designed to match the needs of dancers who are in crucial stages of brain and motor development. Too often, this is backward in dance studios and the youngest children are taught by inexperienced instructors (sometimes teenage students) with no thought as to what is developmentally appropriate. In my experience, children enjoy exploration and the freedom to make choices. Most would prefer not to stand in a line and practice the same movements over and over. In creative dance, children are guided in the creation of choreography which is developed as a result of decisions and choices they’ve made during exploration of movement, and they are encouraged to discover rather than mimic. If I were choosing a program for my own young child, I would look for a school that offers a quality creative dance program through the age of six or seven and, if possible, beyond.

Is Creative Dance Just For Kids?

No, the concepts of creative dance are appropriate for any age or level of dancer and will enrich the education of dancers no matter what style or technique they study. This is because, through creative dance, dancers young and old are introduced to the basic elements of dance, including proper alignment, patterns, tempo, levels, rhythm, and spacial awareness. Activities frequently offer problem solving opportunities which increase in intricacy as the student grows and develops. The dancer is given multiple options about how, what and where he/she will dance. Creative dance students are given opportunities to utilize these decision making skills in improvisation and to create short or long pieces of choreography. Improvisation encourages the dancer to think on their feet, react to others, and expand their movement vocabulary. Choreography requires the ability to remember and predict a sequence or pattern of movements (skills essential to understanding mathematics, science and reading). Performances, both informal (within the class) and formal, help the dancer become more comfortable in front of large groups. In creative dance, students learn to appreciate their own individuality. As they observe and participate in class they witness that every dance and every dancer is special and unique, which builds confidence and self-esteem. Dancers also learn to work independently and in a group, and that perseverance and dedication lead to success. The skills developed in creative dance are all essential in life and in dance, convincing me that creative dance would be a beneficial (if not vital) portion of any dance curriculum for all age groups.

Learn More About Creative Dance and Teaching Improvisation

Websites:

Creative Dance Center – the school and program developed by creative dance leader and pioneer, Anne Green Gilbert.

International Association for Creative Dance – an organization built around the vision and techniques of Barbara Mettler.

Books and Video:

Creative Dance for All Ages: A Conceptual Approach

Teaching Creative Dance

First Steps in Teaching Creative Dance to Children

Choreography: A Basic Approach Using Improvisation

Dance Improvisations

Teaching Dance Improvisation – DVDs and videos by Ririe-Woodbury Dance Company

A Dancer’s Guide: Tips for College (Part II)

Tips for College Part I dealt with what to expect in technique classes and performance rehearsals, as well as some tips for success in these areas. In continuation of the series, I will highlight two aspects of dance in higher education with which many incoming students have little experience.

Improvisation

Improvisation may be an entirely new concept for some of you (if we’re not counting the off-the-cuff choreography you’ve performed in front of your bedroom mirror). I count myself very lucky to have had early experience in creative dance and improvisation at my hometown studio. At the time, I did not realize it was a rarity. However, it was not long into my first year as a dance major that a professor introduced the concept of improvisational movement and began leading the class in some beginning exercises. I could feel tension among the students. Some were nervous to appear so vulnerable in front of their peers and instructor and others had no idea how to start or what to do. A few that had before been asked to move as they’d like in a dance studio class had perhaps had no guidance and had always used the moments to re-hash their favorite moves or try something they’d seen the older kids do. It seemed likely that this was not what the professor was looking for. Fear suddenly paralyzed some of the most talented dancers in the class. If you are an experienced improviser, your background will serve you well in the college environment. If you are in the other group, don’t panic! Improvisation, just like technique, takes practice to move comfortably and confidently. And you will get plenty of practice now that you are entering this new phase in your study of dance. So…

• Tip #5: Don’t be afraid to just take a deep breath and go for it. You may feel like a fool, but the only people that looked foolish that day in my class were those that were too afraid or insecure to make the most of the opportunity. They giggled, marked their movement, or froze altogether rather than bravely being willing to appear awkward or even unsophisticated.

Modern Dance, Contemporary Concepts

Modern dance may be new to many of you as well. It is a very important part of many dance programs because it was within academic establishments that Modern techniques were developed and the art form found its foothold in America. Despite its prominence at universities, few dance studios offer Modern Dance techniques in their curriculum. Some of you may compete in (or witness) Modern at competitions. However, often only some of those that compete in this category are studying modern dance techniques and usually even less are utilizing the choreographic processes typical of Modern Dance. If you are one of the few, kudos to your dance school.

The art form of Modern Dance (and Contemporary dance forms in general) is more than just performing the techniques and steps with which it is associated. That is the “how” but Modern Dance also asks “why.” Without the process or investigation of this question, a dancer or choreographer is offering their interpretation of Modern Dance. In other words, a dance may look expressive or emotive, contain un-balletic poses or rolling on the floor, and be accompanied by unconventional music choices, but can lack the artistic intent of contemporary dance forms that you will be asked to explore in college and beyond. I believe I’m safe to assume that many of you will find what is expected of you in your study of Modern Dance (and perhaps other dance forms as well) in a university setting to be very different from your studio at home. There will be more emphasis on dancing with an understanding of how the body functions and how something feels (as opposed to how it looks), on working apart from or even against the music as you dance, on presenting abstract meaning or intent through movement, and on discovering ways of moving that are new or even unflattering. With all of that in mind…

• Tip #6: Embrace the task at hand. Focus simply on the task your teacher, who is guiding you in your exploration, has charged. When you are uncertain or just learning, solving one problem at a time will keep you from getting wrapped up in trying to make something spectacular instead of discovering something spectacular. A direction as simple as “dance with one elbow attached to the ground” or “let your breath guide each movement” may seem silly at first and you may be tempted to think that you don’t need this exercise to be a good dancer. But, don’t think, just try it, because these silly little exercises will help you grow from someone who makes dance into someone who can express themselves through dance.

Filling in the Gaps

There may be a point during your college career that someone may imply that there have been gaps in your dance education and you are faced with breaking old habits or learning something in a different way. If or when this occurs, I encourage you to resist becoming indignant. Refer back to Part I and learn to trust your new instructors, letting go of any assumptions that you “already know how to do” whatever they are asking you to do. As a college instructor, it was often frustrating for me to see talented students holding on so tightly to what their teachers “back home” had told them that their progress in my class stalled. In fact, the students who improved most rapidly in my beginning level classes were those who had little to no dance experience because they held no preconceived notions and could absorb all that I offered them. I encountered students with 14 years or so of studio experience which had yielded many bad habits from repetition of poor technique. Unfortunately in some cases, these “experienced” students seemed unsatisfied with re-examining the basics after having been considered “advanced” dancers at home. It would have benefited these students to remember that even professionals consistently work to better understand and perform the basics of their technique.

I hope that my wording in this post has not made anyone feel that their instruction up to this point has not been worthwhile. While it is wonderful when dance schools for young students take steps to provide an understanding of the more creative or artistic side of dance (and as you may know, I highly encourage this), I realize that teaching students to execute dance is the primary function of a studio. You should not feel shortchanged if your school has provided you with a solid technical foundation and performance experience. You have plenty of time to dig deeper in your understanding of movement and to mature as an artist.

Read on to Part III…

A Dancer’s Guide: Tips for College (Part I)

If you are planning on majoring, minoring, or even just participating in a university dance department in the next year, you are probably nervous and excited about beginning your adventure in higher learning. Having been involved in two different liberal arts programs, coming out the other side with a dance degree in hand, and going on to teach in yet another dance department, I thought it may be a good idea to share my experiences, advice, and thoughts to help you prepare for what is ahead. I will divide the information into categories for easier reading. Feel free to post questions if you have any or, comments if you have something to add. You can also e-mail me if you’d like to ask something but prefer not to post.

Technique Classes

If you are a dance major it is probably because you like to dance! This is your chance to do so. Typically all dancers in a university program are at minimum required to take a ballet and modern technique class each semester. Chances are, even if you did not have to audition to be accepted into the dance program at your school, you will probably have to take a placement class in which one or more of the faculty decide the class level for which you are best suited. Don’t be discouraged if after training since the age of 3, you are still entered into the level one classes – this is quite normal. Even students who transfer from one program  to another are sometimes placed at these entry levels in their new school. This brings me to…

• Tip #1: Trust the faculty’s judgment. They want you to succeed. Their years of training, education, and experience should not be discounted. Unless you truly feel they are putting you at risk mentally or physically (in which case, seek higher authority), give their ideas and opinions a chance.

Technique classes are generally worth only one or two credits so that a regular full-time student can take more than one and still maintain a typical full-time credit load (12-15 credits). While there are occasional written assignments or requirements for attending a concert, etc., a high percentage of your grade in a dance class is usually determined by your attendance record. This means you have to show up and be prepared to do the work to get a decent grade in the class. Seems easy enough, right? Well, for students who are perhaps relishing their first taste of freedom from parental supervision, getting to class is sometimes a surprisingly low priority (never mind the condition in which they arrive). Late nights studying, hanging out, partying, internet surfing, etc. with no one to tell you to get to bed, coupled with a 9am ballet class… you get the picture.

• Tip #2: Find a balance. The point is that there are LOTS of things in college life that distract students from their primary purpose (succeeding at getting an education). You don’t have to abstain from all of the lovely little distractions. However, accept the responsibility that comes with your new-found freedom and be mature enough to recognize when your schoolwork is suffering (without blaming it on your teachers) and then make lifestyle changes or take steps to correct the problem. In fact, apply this to situations in general… from now on.

Rehearsals

Unlike many of your fellow college students, you will probably find yourself heavily involved in dance activities that don’t necessarily earn you credits but, are nonetheless, worth it or even required. Many of these activities will result in performances both formal or informal which, like taking class, has a lot to do with why you bought your ticket for this ride in the first place. Particularly as an underclassmen, you may find yourself auditioning in front of and for upperclassmen who are looking for guinea pigs for their own choreography. At my alma mater for example, there was an entire process dedicated to the auditioning, presenting, adjudicating, and performing of undergraduate works. Once dancers were cast, the student choreographers scheduled rehearsal time (for whenever and wherever space was available – racquetball courts, anyone?) and later presented their work in progress to faculty several times. By the final showing, dances were chosen for a final year-end performance and those that didn’t make the cut were offered a slot in less formal performances. I’m sure every university has a slightly different process and a variety of opportunities – faculty concerts, composition (choreography) class projects, off-campus or community outreach efforts. You may not always be cast as a performer. However, there may be other ways you can take part. Although disappointing at first, not being cast in my first major college production resulted in one of the most beneficial learning experiences of my student career when I instead stage-managed the performance. Taking a backstage role is a great way to learn about the craft of production and will be of value to you in the future when you create your own choreography, manage a dance company, or run a dance studio.

• Tip #3: Get Involved. It may cut into your social life but these experiences are worth participating in any way that you can. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket by skipping the “smaller” stuff and waiting to audition for the “big” show. You may find yourself disappointed and not participating in anything. Likewise, don’t limit what you take part in because of self-doubt, insecurities, or even department politics. You may be surprised at what other opportunities your participation yields.
• Tip #4: In all things, be professional. You are preparing for a professional life ahead (even if it is not a professional life in dance) and, although you may think “it’s just college” or “the choreographer’s a student too” or “this is a stupid assignment, anyway,” remember that reputations have a tendency to follow one around. If you are consistently late, stressed, show up ill-prepared or unable to dance, display attitude, or give less than 100% effort, word will get out among the other students and faculty. And while, the reputation may not always make it beyond your collegiate walls, your lack of experience (because people avoided casting you) will speak for itself on a resume.

Check out these great Five Tips for College Freshmen.

Then, read on to Part II…

What is Modern Dance?

This is not an easy question to answer, even for dancers and choreographers. The beginnings of modern dance in the United States (Germany also had a related and influential dance movement) are traced to the early 20th century to a group of dancers often labeled the forerunners of modern dance. Isadora Duncan, Loie Fuller, Ruth St. Dennis, and her husband and partner Ted Shawn, each made significant contributions to a new type of concert dance in America. Their dance reflected and challenged the art, philosophy, and issues of their time, explored the cultures of other places and times, made new advances in theatrical lighting and spectacle, and discarded the costumes and artificiality of ballet. They were exploring and expressing themselves in a way that had never been seen before, and they were guiding others to do the same.

From this small family tree, emerged another generation of dancers. This group, considered the founders of modern dance, broke whatever rules had been laid down by their predecessors. Instead of borrowing movement from other cultures, they created movement based on the experiences of their own era. They were interested in presenting the inner self and all of it’s complex emotions on the concert stage. These founders, Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, and Lester Horton, among others, also created their own techniques which they taught in independent dance schools and universities. Their work established modern dance as a legitimate art form.

Dancers in the founder’s companies such as Merce Cunningham, José Limon, Alvin Ailey, Paul Taylor and Anna Sokolow continued to redefine not only modern dance but, dance in general. Each contributed something different but, in general, this third generation was noted for a more minimalistic approach to dance in which movement became more pedestrian and stripped-down. Some, like Merce Cunningham, explored chance elements in their choreography, allowing a roll of dice to determine a dances’ structure. Others, like Alvin Ailey, brought ethnic, social, and political issues to the forefront.

In the 1960s and 70s, the work of these earlier artists ushered in the postmodern dance movement. The artists involved with Judson Dance Theater were some of the prime movers in this experimentalist trend. Dance artists were leaving the theatrical stage altogether and performing dance in public parks, on buildings, in museums, and on busy streets. Choreographers explored improvisation as legitimate performance and often presented performers with no dance training in their work. Audiences were asked to accept everyday movement like dressing, walking, and playing as dance. It was a direct upheaval of the concepts and codification that Modern dance artists had fought to develop.

Yet, as those who had gone before have done, each generation of modern dancers seeks new terminology, concepts, and techniques that broaden the definition of dance. This legacy continues in the 21st century, an environment that draws from the techniques of modern dance and the spirit of exploration in postmodern dance. In fact, today most dancers on the concert stage are likely to have experiences in many techniques and, with the exception of those who have pursued or immersed themselves specifically in ballet or other systematized dance form, consider themselves contemporary dancers. They study traditions in modern dance, but also other movement disciplines like ballet, jazz, african, yoga, gymnastics, and martial arts, as well as improvisational techniques such as contact improvisation and body mapping. Therefore, the movement you’ll see in a technique class or on stage reflects this diversity.

Modern dance, although defined in many dictionaries as “a form of contemporary theatrical and concert dance employing a special technique for developing the use of the entire body in movements expressive of abstract ideas,”  is a label that has begun to feel outdated for describing works created in the 21st century. The term has recently been dedicated more to the techniques (both the structured styles like Graham, Limon, or Horton and the less codified systems) that are studied by contemporary dancers than works currently performed on the concert stage. To understand Modern Dance, therefore, it is a good idea to become familiar with these techniques as well as with its history and its role in the development of the constantly transforming art form of contemporary dance, which is not a technique but a collection of principles regarding movement and the choreographic/performance process which are closely related to the goals of the original modern dancers and their techniques.

Many times when people ask the question “What is Modern Dance?” they seek to prepare themselves for participation in either a class or as an audience member. As above, I recommend learning a bit about the history of modern dance as well as simply experiencing the art of contemporary dance. Take technique classes from a variety of teachers, watch choreography and performances by many different artists, and/or explore and improvise with movement, all the while, keeping an open mind in regard to one’s own definitions of dance. Each experience broadens and shapes understanding, giving one the knowledge to compare, and the confidence to appreciate that modern and, in fact, most contemporary dance refuses to be defined by labels. As one’s experience with the art of dance grows, the need to brand dance forms will diminish, and the question “What is Modern Dance?” will be replaced with “What else can dance be or become?”

Below are some interesting quotes, links, and resources that have more to say about Modern Dance…

One reason why modern dance is hard to define is that it is not so much a particular system or technique as it is an attitude toward dance, a point of view that encourages artistic individualism and the development of personal ways of dancing. As Helen Tamaris wrote in a program note for a concert she gave in 1927, “There are no general rules. Each work of art creates it’s own code.” – Jack Anderson

American Modern Dance, as a performance art form, serves many roles in today’s society. Many American choreographers of today use their art form for social commentary. There are other choreographers who tell stories with their dances. Finally, many choreographers simply manipulate the tools of choreography to visually create something new and interesting-perhaps something never seen before. Whatever the specific intent of the choreographer the role of dance today is to communicate, to create, and to educate.
- Beth Braun and Mark English

Ballet & Modern Dance: A Concise History
Prime Movers: The Makers of Modern Dance in America
The Makers of Modern Dance in Germany: Rudolf Laban, Mary Wigman, Kurt Jooss
No Fixed Points: Dance in the Twentieth Century
Terpsichore in Sneakers: Post-Modern Dance

• Answers.com
• RIDance.com’s answer to “What is Modern Dance?”
• PBS’s Modern Dance Primer
• Classic Confusion tries to define labels in dance