teaching tips

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…]

Music Within The Dance Class

July 29, 2013 by 4dancers

by Janet Neidhardt

students dancing — Photo by Catherine L. Tully

It’s amazing how influential music can be on the dancing body. Some sounds get the heart pumping and feet moving quickly while others lend the body to slow and meditative motions–and then there is everything in-between. As a dance educator, it is important to me that I educate my students about the relationship between music and dance.

Students can sometimes be resistant to music that is different than what they hear on the radio, so I have developed a system of creating openness to new music. I start the year off with music they might recognize for a warm up and then slowly start to bring in more ethnic music with strong beats. Then I introduce music that doesn’t have clear down beats and might be counted in 5’s or 7’s etc. This is a good challenge for students to count to and can also work well for phrases that might not have counts, where timing is more free form.

I like to play with music when teaching movement. I often have students perform movement phrases to various styles of music to compare and contrast how the music changes the feeling and emphasis within the movement. This kind of activity pushes students to think more deeply about movement and how it feels from the inside to dance as opposed to what they look like on the outside. For teenagers who tend to focus on what they look like a lot this can be an especially challenging and needed task.

When students are given a choreography assignment I often push them out of their comfort zone by only allowing music without words. They are able to explore the various interpretations of music and movement without the meanings that words can give within a song. Using music without words can provoke more creativity, wider range of movement possibilities, and open up ideas for relating movement to the music.

I spend a lot of time during the summer months searching for new and different music to use for the upcoming school year. (Songza is a great app to use with various playlists.) It is important to recognize how influential music is to the movement of our bodies and to our choreography. Since I have to choreograph about 4 pieces a year it is important that I find music that inspires my own creativity.

Whether it’s choosing music for teaching or choreography, thoughtful and intuitive choices are needed. Sometimes we need to wake up to Destiny’s Child and sometimes we need to improvise with Philip Glass–and sometimes it’s vise versa!

When I know the goal of a class I’m teaching, I find the music I need to play to help my students achieve that goal.

Do you have any tips for choosing/using music for students? Feel free to share!

dancer posing upside down — Janet Neidhardt

Contributor Janet Neidhardt has been a dance educator for 10 years. She has taught modern, ballet, and jazz at various studios and schools on Chicago’s North Shore. She received 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 Loyola Academy High School in Wilmette, IL. She is the Director of Loyola Academy Dance Company B and the Brother Small Arts Guild, and choreographs for the Spring Dance Concert and school musical each year. Janet is very active within the Loyola Academy community leading student retreats and summer service trips. She regularly seeks out professional development opportunities to continue her own artistic growth. Recently, Janet performed with Keigwin and Company in the Chicago Dancing Festival 2012 and attended the Bates Dance Festival.

When she isn’t dancing, Janet enjoys teaching Pilates, practicing yoga, and running races around the city of Chicago.

5 Great Teaching Phrases For Tots Dance Class

April 19, 2013 by 4dancers

by Maria Hanley

When I tell people I teach 25 classes of preschoolers and toddlers a week, their eyes pop out of their head! Even though they think I’m crazy, I’m over the moon about it. Teaching that many classes can take a toll, but for me, the way to get through each week is to have clear expectations. I show my expectations for my “littles” by using specific catch phrases. I say them frequently and as the weeks go on, they catch on.

If you are a teacher with a lot of experience you probably have your favorite phrases that work to manage the classroom. If you are a new teacher just starting out, you will develop what works for you. I thought I would share mine that have developed over the years. Feel free to use them!

“Happy Dance Day!”

This is my standard greeting when I meet them at the door. If it’s ballet class I will say “Happy Ballet Day!” It’s just a little happiness to greet them before class and to let them know that they have my full attention. They say it back and they get so excited to dance. Do you meet your dancers at the door? Do you go with them outside after class to give an extra goodbye? I always do. I think that’s one of the most important touches, like two exclaimation points at the beginning and end of class!

“Watching eyes on, Listening ears up, and Marshmallows in.”

I do the motions for this one. I make glasses for eyes, and use my hands to turn up my listening ears. Eating marshmallows makes their cheeks puffy and therefore no noise can come out. It’s a fun little trick to get their attention instead of just saying “be quiet!” like a broken record.

“When I see it, I will say it.” OR “My eyes are open.”

Many times when we are exploring movement, they want me to see what they are doing. They will call out “Look at me, Miss Maria!” or “Like this?” This would be fine, except when they all do that at the same time, it gets really rowdy. Instead, I tell them that when I see it, I will say it out loud. This encourages them to continue to explore the movement while still getting the attention of their name and movement called out.

I have gathered that as attentive as I am to my dancers, they still want to know that I’m watching. Reassuring that you are is important.

“I love the way…”

Goes along with the one above. This is a phrase of praise. When you see an interesting movement or a student thinking outside the box, instead of saying “great job” say “I love the way… you are making that shape with your arms up high and your legs twisted down low.” Be specific so that the other students can hear what you like about what that student is doing with their body.

I must admit, this one takes a while to get used to. It’s important to put it in your vocabulary for added clarity and encouragement to your dance room.

“I’m looking for the quietest and most still dancer”

I use this one for picking students to go across the floor or for turning on the music. Of course once you say this phrase they want to please you. I use it mostly for management of the next exercise. Then I call out names – “Maddie looks ready” “Jessica looks ready” “Emily looks ready” and so on. It works like a charm…unless it’s Halloween! 😉

What are your favorite “work like a charm” catch phrases to use with your preschool dancers? I would love to hear and exchange!

BIO: A passionate advocate for early childhood dance education, Maria Hanley specializes in teaching ages 5 months to 6 years. She currently designs and implements creative ballet programs for the young families and after school division at the Jewish Community Center in Manhattan. Maria teaches a variety of creative dance and infant/toddler programs throughout New York City, including The Mark Morris Dance Group, Dancewave Center and 92Y Parenting Center.

Maria authors the blog Maria’s Movers (http://www.mariasmovers.com) where she shares creative ideas and strategies for teaching young dancers. The blog unites a community of teachers who are inspiring our youngest dancers every day. Maria holds a Master’s degree in Dance Education from New York University and a Bachelor’s degree in dance from Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. Maria served on the Dance/NYC Junior Committee for 2 years and presented at the 2012 Dance USA Conference.

Teaching Tips From Stacey Pepper Schwartz

May 3, 2010 by 4dancers

1. What are some things that teachers can do to improve their instruction in the dance classroom?

My advice would be watch others teach when you get a chance. I love to watch others, I gain so much insight into who I am as a teacher and what skills I draw upon. It doesn’t even have to be dance teachers you observe. We all have our strengthens and weaknesses and by watching others you gain new perspectives, new tools and learn new approaches. It also can help clarify your own teaching philosophy.

2. Developmentally, what are some of the major concerns a dance teacher should be aware of when teaching young children?

Be aware that all children develop differently and even though there are definite physical milestones some children will reach them ahead or behind others.

I watch for social and emotional cues a lot. Eye contact is huge with me. If a child is having a hard time making eye contact with you and his or her peers, there could be an underlying issue.

Also, in order for movement integration, children need to be able to cross the midline of their bodies. What this means is having one side of the body cross over to the other side, like taking your right hand and crossing the center of your body to touch your left knee. I was teaching a group of first graders and we were performing a mixing gesture on the floor. I noticed one of the children was turning around in a circle instead of reaching across his body. At first I thought he was embellishing the movement so I gave the class clear directions about how we were mixing. I changed the levels and the speed and it became quite clear to me this was very challenging for him.

We all have one side that is stronger than the other. It is important, however, to observe if any of your students have a noticeable disparity between the right and left.

Eye hand coordination is essential in the development of fine motor skills. Notice if a child is having a hard time with catching scarves, tracing shapes in the air or giving you a high five for a job well done.

If a child is having difficulties, it is important to talk to the parents or teachers. Remember, each child develops differently but the challenges he or she is encountering might indicate a larger underlining issue.

3. How do you handle teaching class when there are different levels of ability?

The elements of movement remain constant so no matter what the level of the students the elements and concepts are always accessible. Usually when I teach I pick a theme. The exercise may be the same from the previous week but our focus changes. One week we may be emphasizing space and the next week it might be weight or a sense of grounding.

You can always challenge a more advanced dancer to explore the movement quality while a dancer who is struggling can focus on the mechanics or vice versa. You could have the technically advanced dancer work on multiple pirouettes while a beginner can work on the push or spring up to posse. The important thing is to keep everyone focused, challenged and engaged.

4. Can children with special needs benefit from dance classes-and if so, how?

Yes, yes, yes!!! The benefits are endless, just like the benefits are endless for any individual. Dance works on spatial awareness, body awareness, gross motor skills, balance, body integration, body recognition, non-verbal communication and personal expression. For kids with special needs like autism, ADHD, sensory issues and non-verbal learning disabilities dance can have a huge impact on their lives and the lives of their families. Dance is a valuable tool to teach these important skills.

5. In your opinion, what is the value of having children take dance classes if they are not going to become a dancer?

Well, for all the reasons I mentioned in the last question. If you have an understanding of your body and a sense of ownership the sky is the limit. I tell teachers I work with that kids don’t own much and are not in control of much in their lives. They do however, have control over their bodies. And when you have a sense of your body’s abilities it builds tremendous self confidence. Dance also teaches a child how to follow directions, how to give directions and how to problem solve. These are skills that we need to become successful individuals whatever road we choose for ourselves. And dance enriches our lives, like all the arts. We all deserve to have dance in our life whether it’s dancing in our room, at a party, on stage for our own personal fulfillment or as a profession. And as audience members, understanding the art gives us a deeper appreciation for what we are experiencing. So dance not because of the outcome but because of the experience.

: Stacey Pepper Schwartz

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.

Do you have any tips for choosing/using music for students? Feel free to share!

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