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Interview: Matthew Powell Of “Find Your Fifth”

August 20, 2015 by Rachel Hellwig

Matthew Powell (center) and the cast of "Find Your Fifth". Photograph by Shane Ohmer
Matthew Powell (center) and the cast of “Find Your Fifth”. Photograph by Shane Ohmer

What drew you to the profession of teaching dance?

To be honest, it was at first for very selfish reasons! As a young dancer, I was given some advice from my Artistic Directors to begin teaching as a means of improving upon my own technique. As a dancer, it is sometimes difficult to feel what exactly your body is doing. Teaching provided me with the opportunity to take the role of the onlooker, see corrections that needed to be made on my students, and apply them to myself. I started teaching at a very young age, and I really think it enriched my dancing on the whole.

What does your average work day look like? Give us a little snapshot of your life…

I’m freelancing a good bit these days, so my schedule is a bit all over the map. At the moment, I’m in Carlisle, PA teaching for Central Pennsylvania Youth Ballet’s summer program and having a blast, but there is always a long list of ‘to do’s’ to keep my life running back in New York. Here’s what today looks like:

7:00am – 9:00am – Answer questions for this interview over coffee and a bagel.

9:00am – 10:30am – Teach my morning class at CPYB

10:30am – 1:30pm – Head to Staples to print, sign, scan and email a contract for a new ballet I’m creating for Point Park University in Spring of 2016. Then I head to the Post Office to ship two orders of ‘Find Your Fifth.’ We are a small start-up, so orders are processed not through a company, but from my apartment in Queens (or wherever I happen to be). You should see my living room. It’s a ‘Find Your Fifth’ extravaganza in there!

[Read more…]

Filed Under: 4dancers Tagged With: ballet class DVD, ballet class music, dvd, Find Your Fifth, Find Your Fifth Matthew Powell, interview, matthew powell, teacher interview, teaching, teaching ballet

Dance And Movement Invention

March 4, 2013 by 4dancers

dancer in black
Photo by Catherine L. Tully

by Janet Neidhardt

The other day a student asked me if it is possible to create movement that has never been done before. I said that creating new movement can be a daunting task because it seems like every movement has been done before. It is difficult to know if what you are doing is brand new or not especially since dance is created all over the world all of the time.

When my students asked if they could make a “Harlem Shake” video because it was this cool new thing, I replied, “Harlem Shake? I had students doing that back in 2001. This is hardly a new move to copy.”  When my students research modern dance pioneers, like Martha Graham and Ted Shawn, they see movement in their videos that we still do today.  So the question comes back again: Is it possible to create movement that has never been done before?

I think that within this topic lies a deeper question about how we might manipulate and connect movements in original ways. I am always pushing my students’ creativity when choreographing dances. I often find myself saying I’ve seen that movement too much or if a movement has a name and we all know what it is then I don’t want to see it. Setting a high precedent for originality in work is important. I try to teach my students the difference between copying movement and making movement new and original. This can be a difficult task and can easily push students out of their comfort zone. Placing value in originality and creativity is necessary for students to grow as artists and for the arts to grow within their own discipline.

There are many ways to teach students how to manipulate movements like changing the size, putting it in a different body part, timing, energy quality, and so on. I think the more students feel comfortable taking chances and playing with movement ideas the more creativity with be fostered.

Here is one method of creating more original movement that I like to use with my students: [Read more…]

Filed Under: Editorial, Making Dances Tagged With: choreographing, create movement, harlem shake, martha graham, modern dance pioneers, teaching, ted shawn

Teaching Tip: Little Dancers

June 7, 2010 by 4dancers

Teaching TipI had been teaching already for about ten years when I realized something very important…let me go back and tell you how it all came about…

I was 29 years old and was getting ready to start my latest ballet class for 3 and 4 year olds. We were all sitting on the ground in a circle, learning names. A little uncomfortable, I uncrossed my legs and crossed them the other way.

Every single little girl there did the exact same thing.

That’s when it hit me–the power of modeling behavior with kids that age is tremendous. They mimic what you do. I had been trying hard to come up with explanations in bite-sized words that I thought the children would understand.

Turns out all I had to do–was do it.

Now this isn’t to say that you should not teach verbally. You should. But never underestimate the power of what you are doing. This includes simple things such as standing up straight and walking lightly.

Remember…those little eyes are taking it all in…

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Filed Under: 4teachers, Studios, Teaching Tips Tagged With: 3 and 4 year olds, ballet class, children, kids, modeling, teaching

Teaching Tips: Kids In The Dance Classroom

April 2, 2010 by 4dancers

Today we have a special feature–a guest, who is going to share some tips on teaching children dance. Stacey Pepper Schwartz has been featured in 4dancers series 10 Questions With…, and she is quite the breath of fresh air. I have noticed that most people who work with children in dance have seemingly boundless energy and enthusiasm, and Stacey is no exception. I asked her 5 questions about teaching, and she had some wonderful things to share…

1. When it comes to teaching children, what can you do to help instill a love of dance?

If you instill in a child that she is in charge or her body, that she can make choices with how she wants to move, and how she wants to express herself, you are in essence fostering a life that will be open to the dance within herself and herself within the dance.

We are not just beings with muscles and bones.  We can choose how we want to move our muscles, which then moves our bones.  When children start to master this concept of choice, they gain self-esteem and a sense of self.

You can also instill a love of dance by having children dance with each other and for each other.   Many children who have difficulty with speech can be on the same playing field when it comes to communicating through dance.   Even children with coordination or spatial issues can move freely with a group because there is no right or wrong way of expressing yourself.  The beauty of dance is that you can communicate with one simple gesture or your entire body.  You can dance with another person, a group or be free to take the space by yourself.  Both the mover and the audience share the experience.  They share common ground.

When we have a joyful or meaningful experience we tend to want to do it again.  When you teach remember the joy, remember the importance of body ownership, expression and in sharing the experience with others.

2. What are a few tips for keeping order in a class full of young children?

My tip is to have a bag of tricks.  Not one thing will work all the time and different children need different ways of being guided.

  1. Be consistent, be kind and be deliberate.  Don’t ask “Can everyone come to the center of the room?”  If you ask a question, be prepared for various answers, like “no!” Instead give the children a task to complete.  “Everyone come to the center of the room in low level” or “choose a traveling step to the center of the room and end in a pointy shape.”
  2. When they complete an activity acknowledge a job well done and be specific.  “I like the way everyone found different ways of moving in low level.  I saw children moving on their knees, tummies and backs.”   Make sure not to use praise words without backing it up or the words become meaningless.   When I was student teaching I used to say “great” all the time.  The teacher I was working with pointed it out to me.  She told me that the word lost its value because I said it so much and I wasn’t being specific about what was so great.  I great lesson to learn!
  3. When a child is having difficulty listening I will ask them to be my partner.  This way I can talk quietly to the child and give them cues without having to attract attention to the child and the behavior.
  4. Have children earn activities.  Give them a goal to work towards, like a round of “free- dance” or stickers.   Make sure the goal is obtainable or the children can feel defeated.  Feeling proud of a job well done is wonderful motivation to do their best!

3. How do you deal with behavior outbursts in a dance class setting?

I was the director of an arts camp and I went in to observe the dance class.   I asked a child to move to a different spot in the room and she started screaming at me.  I had her sit and watch class while I called her mother.  Her mother told me she was dealing with anger management issues.  This was a great lesson for me.

Make sure you are partners with the parents or teachers.  Having information about any special circumstances will keep you and the children safe and will enable you to have a productive teaching environment.

After talking with the mother, I learned techniques to be helpful to this child and we did not have any other problems.  Information will not always be available to you but I feel the more you are aware of specific issues or needs the better equipped you can be.

When I worked in a studio, after class, I made sure to tell each parent one thing their child was working on, something they did well or achieved.  I found this very helpful in not only having a successful class for the child but I gained the support of the parents as well.

When I teach in schools, I always try to share my lesson with the teacher and ask if there are any ideas or concepts he or she would like me to work on.  I try to model the classroom management style of the teacher to be consistent.  I want to partner with the teacher, not only for educational purposes, but for disciplinary purposes as well.

Lastly, if I child is having a difficult time listening, following directions or is being disruptive, I will ask him or her to sit and join the class when ready.  I have found this works very well because the child is not getting attention for the negative behavior.  Most of the time, the child will join back in after a few minutes.  Remember after you discipline a child to follow up with positive reinforcement to engage the child and give him or her attention for good behavior.

4. What was the best piece of teaching advice you ever heard?

By far the best advice I have ever received was accentuate the positive.  When I was student teaching, I broke the class into smaller groups to work on a movement activity.  I was focusing on a group that was not listening and reprimanding them.  The teacher I was working with pointed out to me that the children who were doing a good job were not getting any attention.  She taught me that when I praised a group, it influenced the group that was not listening because they wanted attention as well.  My class went smoother after this and I was actually accomplishing two things.  I was providing positive feedback and was managing the behavior of the class!

Barbara Bashaw, a wonderful teacher I had when I attended Teachers College, Columbia University for my Maters in Dance Education, taught me to always be prepared to improvise.  You might have a wonderful lesson prepared but the children might have had a fire drill before your class or if you are teaching in a studio maybe they had off from school that day.   You can plan for the class but not for the energy the children will be bringing.  You have to ultimately take your cues from the children.  This was a hard lesson to learn for me, but an absolutely valuable one!

5. What is the one thing you would tell someone who is new to teaching children dance?

I would tell them they are the student as well.  Make sure you are patient with yourself as well as your students.  Give yourself permission to experiment, try new things and don’t be afraid to fail.  I find I have to do a lesson a few times before I am happy with it.  Don’t be afraid to repeat an idea or concept.  Kids learn by repetition and so will you.  Remember that everyday is a new day for you and the kids.  Make sure you smile, laugh and know that you are giving a precious gift.  You are teaching more than movement, you are teaching an avenue to experience life.

 

Bio: Stacey is the Founder and Director of Leaping Legs Creative Movement Programs. The focus of Leaping Legs Creative Movement Programs is to help people regardless of age, experience or ability, become educated about their movement potential, develop kinesthetic awareness, and become more physically fit and healthy together as a family, and community.

Leaping Legs promotes its goal through the original Up Down & All Around DVD. Utilizing the elements of movement, the video entertains as it motivates kids and their families to exercise together using movement games, silly exercises and challenges. The DVD received Dr. Toy’s 100 Best Children’s Products 2009 Award and 10 Best Active Products 2009 Award. The DVD has also been featured in many magazines. In its August 2009 issue, Dance Teacher called the DVD “an essential tool for teaching the fundamentals of movement.”   

Stacey received her BFA in dance performance at Montclair State University and her MA in dance education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She has taught as an artist in residency and guest artist in public and private schools for over twelve years.

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Filed Under: 4teachers, Studios, Teaching Tips Tagged With: kids dance, stacey pepper schwartz, teaching, tips

Dance Teaching Tip: Left-Handed Students

March 17, 2010 by 4dancers

Let’s get this out of the way…Teaching TipI’m a lefty. And yes, that is why I am doing this post.

As a left-handed dancer I know that there are a few special challenges that teachers should be aware of. For one thing, learning turns may go better on the left side. This is actually a safety issue when you are working on teaching pirouettes for the first time.

I always ask my students if there are any lefties in the room, just so I am aware of the fact that they may have more difficulty picking up combinations that are demonstrated and done first on the right side.

Not all dancers follow handedness in the dance classroom, however. For example–even though I am left-handed, my turns are better on the right. Each student will need to be assessed individually to discover their strengths and challenges. Still, if you are aware of them, you will be more effective as an instructor.

If you have not yet asked your students about this…consider incorporating it into your class. For some students it can really make a world of difference.

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Filed Under: 4dancers, 4teachers, Studios, Teaching Tips Tagged With: dance, left handed dancers, left-handed, students, teaching

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