teaching dance

High School Dance: Building Trust & Teaching to the Whole Student

November 12, 2021 by 4dancers

High school is typically a time of questioning and curiosity for teenagers who are known to be rule-breakers and risk takers. However, more and more I find myself among high school students who want to conform and not push boundaries too much during class. I find that my students need and crave a sense of belonging. They want to feel like they fit in, to not stand out too much, but at the same time they do appreciate the celebration of their individuality.

As a teacher, I am constantly working on getting to know my students as learners, as people, and as movers. When I meet my students where they are at, in their knowledge of my subject matter, and who they are as individuals, I can start to instruct and coach them in a more holistic manner. Working towards understanding students’ perspectives enables me to make strong connections and those connections build trust. When trust occurs, students begin to take on more risks and challenge their own growth.

How do we build authentic trusting connections with our students?

It takes time to get to know each of my students. I make time daily and weekly to ask my students questions about their lives outside of the classroom. I ask them to explain how they can apply what we are learning in class to their lives outside of the classroom. Blending together curriculum with “get to know you” activities can help at the start of the busy school year to build those relationships quickly. Even though relationships do take time to build, it is important to begin that process right from the start. I try to be open with my students and share things about myself as a teacher, a dancer, and a person so that they get to know me as well.

Teaching with patience and in an unassuming manner can take practice. It is very important to always work with students and not against them. I remind my students that I am on their side and that my goal is to help them learn and grow. Asking students questions to learn their perspectives and any issues that they might face can always help me differentiate my instruction.

How can teaching to the whole student allow us to challenge our students to push the edges of their own creativity and craft?

Building bridges between student to teacher and student to student creates trusting relationships within the class. I work to promote an environment that celebrates their uniqueness while also building the class as an ensemble. It is in this way that the students in the class grow together as a whole and learn to grow within their own skills as individuals.

Process. Process. Process.

Support their process with the time and space needed to make work, edit work, take risks, edit work again, take more risks, and so on. Teaching students about editing and revising their choreographic work so that they try a variety of choreographic choices allows them to build their creative capacity as well as think more deeply about choreographic choices.

I like to ask my students to explain how certain sections of their dance relates to their concept. This can be a very challenging question for many students and calls for higher order critical thinking. Some students struggle with this question and then I need to probe a bit more. What do you want your audience to understand or feel when they see this part? How could you change the space/time/energy of this section to better accomplish your choreographic goals?

In order to get to a point of being comfortable with being uncomfortable, students must feel a sense of belonging to the whole class. In this way, they are able to feel confident being part of the group but also being unique in their individuality. When students get to this point in feeling connected to the class, that is when I see them take those risks and really find deeper growth in their learning.

dancer posing upside down — Janet Rothwell

Contributor Janet (Neidhardt) Rothwell has been a dance educator for over 19 years. She has taught modern, ballet, and jazz at various studios and schools on Chicago’s North Shore. She received her Principal License from National Louis University, her MA in Dance with an emphasis in Choreography from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and her BA in Communications with a Dance Minor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Throughout her time in graduate school, Janet performed with Sidelong Dance Company based in Winston-Salem, NC.

Currently, Janet teaches dance at Adlai E. Stevenson High School in Lincolnshire, IL. She is the Director of the Mélange Dance Company and assists in the production of the Winter and Spring Dance Concerts at Stevenson High School. Janet has also presented multiple times at the National Dance Educators Organization Conference. She regularly seeks out professional development opportunities to continue her own artistic growth.

When she isn’t dancing, Janet enjoys practicing Pilates, yoga, and playing with her children.

The Mirror as a Training Tool in Dance Class

January 21, 2019 by 4dancers

*Students in dance class with mirrored wall. Photo by Lori Teague.*

I’m so glad to be able to share the following article from Sally Radell, MA, a longtime colleague in dance medicine, on the faculty at Emory University in Atlanta, GA. Sally’s research for many years has been in looking at how using the mirror affects the dancer — we have posted information on this topic from her before on this site. Sally recently presented her latest research at the October 2018 IADMS (International Association for Dance Medicine and Science) conference in Helskini. It was valuable information, and thought-provoking, to put it mildly! So here you go — take care and happy/safe dancing! – Jan Dunn, MS, Dance Wellness Editor

by Sally A. Radell, MFA, MA

The process of building ourselves as dancers is a long and arduous process. Years of technical training are required and certainly the more efficiently we train the more successful we are at building the technical skills needed for professional performance.

Dancers should not underestimate the importance of how they feel about their bodies in the studio and how this impacts the quality and effectiveness of their training. In fact, research has shown that a dancers’ psychological health and well-being can improve or impede their classroom or stage performance.

The Mirror in the Dance Studio

One classroom tool that has caused some concern in the technique class is the mirror. It is so familiar in the dance studio that many of us take it for granted. Teachers frequently use it as a classroom management tool to visually bring the class together when teaching new material. The teacher has an optimum vantage point when facing the mirror, demonstrating the material with the same physical facing as the students, and simultaneously viewing them as they learn it. This provides for ample correction opportunities and can be an efficient use of time when teaching short classes. However, NOT using the mirror in teaching generally requires the instructor to face the class directly and do a mirror image demonstration of the phrase material. This requires more concentration and focus for the teacher. Whether or not to use the mirror in the studio can be a complex problem for teachers.

Students tend to love having a mirror in the studio. It provides students immediate visual feedback and a constant stream of information on ones’ alignment and performance of a dance phrase. The mirror also provides students an opportunity to fix their hair, examine how they look in their new tights and inevitably compare their body to those of other dancers in the studio. The mirror is a potent tool with distraction powers that can be overwhelming and difficult to manage for most students.

One cannot help but ask the question — is the mirror a helpful or harmful tool in the dance studio, or perhaps a bit of both? Most of the literature on this topic comes from dance instructors and their use of the mirror in the classroom. Opinions vary. Some instructors feel it is a useful tool to check and correct ones’ line or the performance of a particular phrase. There have only been a few formal research studies, primarily focusing on ballet, which tend to discuss the disadvantages of mirror use.

*Dance students in mirrored classroom. Photo by Lori Teague.*

Disadvantages of Mirror Use in the Studio

Students may develop high levels of self-consciousness and self-criticism from starring at their images in the mirror.
There is a high temptation for students to compare their physical images to other dancers (or the teacher) in the room which can lead a dancer to feel badly about her body.
The use of a mirror can lead to a dancer feeling “disconnected” from her proprioceptive body awareness which is needed for efficient training. This can delay optimum development of a dancers’ technical skills.

New Mirror Research

Further research has recently been done which probes a bit deeper into mirror use with dancers of various skill levels and in different styles of dance. For example, a recent study was done comparing beginning and advanced ballet dancers. The beginning dancers reported using the mirror enthusiastically, while the advanced level dancers discussed the importance of limiting mirror use in class in favor of focusing on the physical sensations of the movement to stimulate technical growth. However, both levels of students felt worse about their bodies by the end of the semester. This suggests that training on how to use the mirror sparingly and efficiently does not help a dancer feel better about her body in class. Perhaps the mirror is just too potent a tool to be used effectively at any level of dance training?

Other recent research compares the impact of mirrors on the body image of modern and ballet dancers in both mirrored and non-mirrored classrooms. By the end of the semester both the modern and ballet students in the mirrored classroom felt worse about their bodies. However, the students in the modern and ballet non-mirrored classrooms felt better about their bodies by the end of the semester. Overall, perhaps these results suggest that the negative impact of the mirror on a dancers’ body image can transcend styles, at least between modern and ballet styles?

As research in the area of mirror impact on body image grows, evidence is mounting on the potency of the mirror and its capacity to harm a dancer’s body image beyond the confines of ballet. I strongly encourage dance teachers and students to reconsider their use of the mirror in the classroom and explore alternate methods of achieving what the mirror seemingly offers. Without a mirror in the classroom dancers can fully focus on their proprioceptive learning and the sensation of movement in their bodies. This will ultimately keep their focus fully “in their bodies” which is the most efficient route to feeling good about themselves and developing the optimum technical skills required for professional careers.

Note: This post is an update to the previous post we have on the site, also authored by Ms. Radell. View that post here.

Sally Radell, MFA, MA. Photo by Jon Rou.

Sally Radell is professor of dance at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia. She holds a BA in dance from Scripps College in Claremont, California, an MA in dance from The Ohio State University, and an MFA in dance from Arizona State University. She came to Emory in 1987 to start a degree program in dance. The substantial growth of the program and success of this endeavor is one of her proudest professional accomplishments. Ms. Radell has been active as a choreographer, teacher, performer, administrator, dance critic, and somatic educator. Over the past twenty years she has conducted research on dancers, body image, and the mirror and has published in professional journals including Journal of Dance Medicine & Science, Research in Dance Education, and Perceptual and Motor Skills. Professor Radell has also presented nationally and internationally on this topic with different organizations including the American Association of Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance and the International Association of Dance Medicine and Science. She is committed to the promotion of psychological wellness for dancers.

Dance and Literacy

January 6, 2019 by 4dancers

by Janet (Neidhardt) Rothwell

For the past three years I have served on the Literacy Committee at my high school. Being a member of this committee has opened my eyes to not only how important literacy is in students’ education but also the various ways in which I can use literacy as a teaching tool for dance. Each year, I work with a Literacy Coach to create various instructional tools to embed literacy within my dance instruction.

I have used a variety of graphic organizers to guide students’ thought process during formative assessments on movement sequences, feedback on choreography studies, and self-assessment/reflection. One organizer that I really enjoy using is the Frayer Model. It is a model with four squares all connected with a rectangle in the middle. (See image below) I am able to change the language of each square to adjust how I direct my students’ thought process on different topics.

Was the use of this tool effective? Why?

In this example, I placed a choreography tool in the center (this example was for Levels) and scaffolded questions in the boxes.

Box 1: Definition of the tool

Box 2: Where was this tool included in the choreography?

Box 3: What variations of the tool were used?

Box 4: Where/How else could it have been used?

While students watch their peers perform their group dances they fill out this form to provide feedback. This process helps students to formulate their ideas and train their eyes to watch for these tools when watching a dance. At first, I thought this process might take too much time but once we got started it was very quick and I saw greater comprehension and clearer feedback from my students as a result of using it. Having students fill this out allows me to know if they understand the choreography tools being taught in class.

After completing this process of using the Frayer model, I observed more fully developed choreography works and deeper conversation from my students about choreography tools. This heightened knowledge for students allowed them to become “dance insiders” in that they could now use terms and concepts that translate to improved performance.

Adding dance literacy to the dance classroom can deepen student understanding of dance concepts. If we want to create artistically literate students we need to take the time to teach them our vocabulary and engage them in our language of the arts. This is just one simple strategy to add literacy components to a dance class. I have come to appreciate experimenting with other methods of literacy embedded instruction.

I always tell my students to be “thinking dancers” and not just “imitators of movers.” I think that teaching dance language in greater detail and putting dance vocabulary into context provides them with the knowledge they need to be a successful thinking dancer. Being thoughtful about how we introduce our dance terminology and concepts also allows this information to be approachable and applicable. Watching the light bulbs go off in my students’ heads is always a great moment, and I have found that using some specific and purposeful literacy strategies in my dance instruction has created more of these moments.

Contributor Janet (Neidhardt) Rothwell has been a dance educator for over 15 years. She has taught modern, ballet, and jazz at various studios and schools on Chicago’s North Shore. She received her Principal License from National Louis University, her MA in Dance with an emphasis in Choreography from the University of North Carolina-Greensboro, and her BA in Communications with a Dance Minor from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Throughout her time in graduate school, Janet performed with Sidelong Dance Company based in Winston-Salem, NC.

When she isn’t dancing, Janet enjoys practicing pilates, yoga, and playing with her children.

Detect The Details – Reworking Technique In Class

July 23, 2016 by Rachel Hellwig

"Jump" by Marco Sanchez. Licensed under CC Attribution 2.0 Generic. [Changes: cropped] — “Jump” by Marco Sanchez. Licensed under CC Attribution 2.0 Generic. [Changes: cropped]

Editor’s note: this series by Karen is targeted specifically to competition dancers and those that work with them, although certainly many others may benefit from the information within!

by Karen Musey

It is a great joy and privilege to be able to encourage and give feedback to each new generation of dancers. It is exciting to see the fantastic talent and passion on stage, and every dancer’s growth over this season definitely needs to be celebrated!

In this digital age, it is becoming the norm to see younger and younger children seeming to grasp difficult tricks/concepts/technique quickly. I think we sometimes forget that learning to be a dancer is, and always will be, a process that takes time and effort. It’s not a one size fits all experience or path.

During a judging season, a dancer who has heard the same corrections repeated multiple times can feel frustrated and defeated. This is a great time to check in with them. If they feel that they are accomplishing what is being asked but they are not achieving the desired result, what can you do to shift their understanding of how they are working through the movement?

It can be helpful for students to put on a “teacher” or “detective” lens and start looking for clues for what looks and feels right (or not). This will help them train their eye and their corrections will improve faster – and better yet – they will start to self correct.

Let’s go over a “classic correction” and discuss some ways you can encourage your students to interpret it in a new way: [Read more…]

Dance Students: The Importance Of Good Character

February 8, 2016 by 4dancers

"Surrey Celebration Dance Team" by Brendan. Licensed under CC Attribution 2.0 Generic. — “Surrey Celebration Dance Team” by
Brendan. Licensed under CC
Attribution 2.0 Generic.

by Lucy Vurusic Riner

There is a lot of talk that typically surrounds the plight of the millennial. Did their parents raise them to be self-sufficient? What sort of work ethic do they have? How do their values and morals play out in today’s workforce?

And, for me as a teacher, how do I impart my “Gen X wisdom” on them in dance class?

I wonder about this each day as I watch my students come into class. They really do toggle back and forth from being complete perfectionists and go-getters to being completely entitled and lazy. As a parent I wonder when their character will begin to take shape and how much influence their own parents have over the kinds of humans that are walking into my dance class each day. As an executive director of a dance company I wonder if I would hire more than a fraction of them upon graduating from college.

Attitude matters these days.

Teaching high school dancers (and I believe this extends well into college as well) is challenging in that most of our students are setting goals that are superficial; or what I like to call surface level. They read the syllabus or the rubric to see what they need to do to get the A or get cast in the role and then they simply do the bare minimum to make that happen. There is a preconceived notion that if you’ve done all the work, you now deserve the job. Period. The problem is that a lot of them can do the work. A lot of them can even do the work well; but there aren’t enough jobs for the amount of dancers we’re cranking out these days.

We need to teach them that doing the work is standard. It’s status quo. It’s the bare minimum expectation. It’s what happens after you’ve done part one that leaves an impression. It’s more than just bringing your skills and talents. Attitude, character and work ethic matter. [Read more…]

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