I had a teacher in college who taught us to write down everything we sense around us in dance journals. Our writings could be from as simple as how a tree blows or the formation a flock of birds make, to something more intense like a relationship/family issue. I feel like I want to engage in intensive studies about issues important to my life, such as rearing a child. There are so many ways I can begin such a study: What will I feel? What will need to change in my life so that I am doing the best possible mothering to my future child? Why is being a mother so important to me? What will my husband and I agree/disagree on?
I know dialogue is a very important element of life. I guess having these questions bounced back and forth in a conversation with myself will lead me to the correct place of study eventually.
But how do I translate this to the art of dance? Do I need to? Should I? I have a dear friend who says that the only way she is able to work through these issues is while doing her art form. But how? I'm not sure I've ever been taught that I will figure out the answers to my studies through creating a dance. Maybe I will. I'm not sure I've ever even tried it. I know a lot of my learning comes through writing. Writing is an art form in itself. So maybe I need to try and dance out these ideas in order to learn? What do you think?
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Think It Dance It
I have been in the dance world for quite some time now. I, of course, will give you the usual ordeal: I've been dancing since I was three. I have experience in almost all forms of dance. I have my BFA in dance performance with a concentration in jazz dance. I have my MIT in K-12 dance and theatre (although you can trust that I will only teach dance in public schools). I have danced with a professional hip hop company, I was hired to dance for Holland America Cruise Lines, and I have danced original MJ choreography at the Tacoma Dome, in Tacoma, WA. Right now I am practicing with a modern dance company in Colorado, in hopes that I will one day soon be a part of this brilliant company.
As I have just moved out here, I am looking to teach dance in a public high school nearby. This is no easy feat as these dance instructor positions are few and far between. I have found a studio that facilitates dance learning in the way I want to teach. Students are engaged in an atmosphere of collaborative creativity. All students are made to feel welcome in a safe and positive atmosphere, regardless of technical ability level. It's funny how my opinion on this has changed over the years.
Growing up, I was taught in a competitive atmosphere. I did competitive gymnastics, dancing, and swimming. I full-heartedly believe these competitions really affected me as a person in a negative way. I found myself (and still find myself) comparing myself to my neighbor. Although this mindset pushed me and made me the dancer I am today, it was a very unhealthy attitude for me to take on. You see, not only does competition come with judgment and comparison, it also comes with ego and arrogance. I remember being in a modern dance class in college and getting irritated that there were people trying to be dance majors whom hadn't danced much before. I don't know why now, but I remember finding it offensive that some of these people were in the same dance classes and/or faculty pieces as me. How rude of me to not be more encouraging of these new lovers of dance. I was so arrogant. I don't want that for myself, nor do I want it for any of my students.
When I did my student teaching for my master's program, I taught creative dance with emphasis on student collaboration and intrinsic motivation. Students were asked to help create the ideas for dance pieces, they discussed their feelings on such topics, and students created movement sections which I helped facilitate into the dance piece. There was obviously a lot more that occurred but those three parts were the real structure behind it all. So great. I have this one idea about how students will be involved in their own curricular planning. What other ways can I do this? Does dance always need to be about one political issue or another? Can a dance just be about the love of dance?
The first time I took class with the modern company I am learning from, the instructor had us play with the idea of elasticity. How did she come up with that? Why is that important to her? Her planning was stellar--she had us work with the idea of elasticity at the beginning of the class and then throughout the rest of the class we were to be thinking about elasticity while moving. Her movement phrases were designed around this. Her combination at the end was designed around this. What is elasticity's relevance to dance? To life around us? Where did this idea develop from?
I have so many questions. It's funny how you can dance for all of your life but still have so much to learn. My point of all of these stories is that I am looking for a place to investigate these questions and help me become a stronger dancer and teacher. I sincerely hope you will join me and guide me in this quest.
As I have just moved out here, I am looking to teach dance in a public high school nearby. This is no easy feat as these dance instructor positions are few and far between. I have found a studio that facilitates dance learning in the way I want to teach. Students are engaged in an atmosphere of collaborative creativity. All students are made to feel welcome in a safe and positive atmosphere, regardless of technical ability level. It's funny how my opinion on this has changed over the years.
Growing up, I was taught in a competitive atmosphere. I did competitive gymnastics, dancing, and swimming. I full-heartedly believe these competitions really affected me as a person in a negative way. I found myself (and still find myself) comparing myself to my neighbor. Although this mindset pushed me and made me the dancer I am today, it was a very unhealthy attitude for me to take on. You see, not only does competition come with judgment and comparison, it also comes with ego and arrogance. I remember being in a modern dance class in college and getting irritated that there were people trying to be dance majors whom hadn't danced much before. I don't know why now, but I remember finding it offensive that some of these people were in the same dance classes and/or faculty pieces as me. How rude of me to not be more encouraging of these new lovers of dance. I was so arrogant. I don't want that for myself, nor do I want it for any of my students.
When I did my student teaching for my master's program, I taught creative dance with emphasis on student collaboration and intrinsic motivation. Students were asked to help create the ideas for dance pieces, they discussed their feelings on such topics, and students created movement sections which I helped facilitate into the dance piece. There was obviously a lot more that occurred but those three parts were the real structure behind it all. So great. I have this one idea about how students will be involved in their own curricular planning. What other ways can I do this? Does dance always need to be about one political issue or another? Can a dance just be about the love of dance?
The first time I took class with the modern company I am learning from, the instructor had us play with the idea of elasticity. How did she come up with that? Why is that important to her? Her planning was stellar--she had us work with the idea of elasticity at the beginning of the class and then throughout the rest of the class we were to be thinking about elasticity while moving. Her movement phrases were designed around this. Her combination at the end was designed around this. What is elasticity's relevance to dance? To life around us? Where did this idea develop from?
I have so many questions. It's funny how you can dance for all of your life but still have so much to learn. My point of all of these stories is that I am looking for a place to investigate these questions and help me become a stronger dancer and teacher. I sincerely hope you will join me and guide me in this quest.
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