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What Makes A Dance? The Brain As Choreographer, Dancer And Spectator

July 5, 2016 by 4dancers

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Aloha to All –

We are very pleased to have as our next Dance Wellness guest contributor Judith Lynne Hanna, PhD. Dr. Hanna is a longtime dancer and anthropologist whose work spans many years. Reading reviews of her recently published book, “Learning to Dance: The Brain’s Cognition, Emotion, and Movement”, spurred me to contact her to see if she would write an article for us concerning the new research on dancers’ brains, and how growing up in dance really does change us. The new science of Neuroplasticity (also called brain plasticity, is the process in which your brain’s neural synapses and pathways are altered as an effect of environmental, behavioral, and neural changes) is fascinating – and there are now more than 400 studies related to interdisciplinary neuroscience that reveal the hidden value of dance.

Many of us in the dance world have grown up feeling / knowing that we were  somehow “different” from non-dancers, but only recently has science been learning how and why. I found Dr. Hanna’s article to be a clear explanation of all this new research, and am so pleased to share it with you.
Enjoy! (and don’t stop dancing–ever!)

Jan Dunn, MS, Dance Wellness Editor


by Judith Lynne Hanna, PhD

At times during their careers, dancers may want to explain what dance is about to family, friends, students, schools, spectators, and the media. After all, knowledge about dance is new and limited compared to the other arts.

My journey toward understanding dance began as a child in 1946, and the odyssey hasn’t stopped. A pediatrician told my parents that ballet would make my feet strong. So I studied ballet. Dancing didn’t do much for my feet, but dancing has made me stronger physically and mentally. Alicia Markova’s experience with flat feet was different than mine. Critic Clement Crisp reports, “The sublime artist Alicia Markova was taken to ballet as a child because her flat little feet left sad imprints in the sand during a seaside holiday. Ballet, said a doctor, would cure that. And it did. She grew into an astounding artist whose ‘intelligent’ feet and legs were the envy of the ballet world.”

Fascination with dance led me beyond ballet to explore other dance genres (e.g., modern, Afro-Caribbean, Latin American, African, flamenco, Middle East, jazz, hip-hop, swing, ballroom, and folk). Curiosity led me to conduct dance research in villages and cities in Africa and then in theaters, school playgrounds and classrooms, and cabarets in the United States.

As an applied anthropologist I study human behavior, including many forms of dance and culture, past and present, and draw upon the work of different disciplines. I was surprised that at the 2008 annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience annual meeting, more than 6,800 attendees paid rapt attention to renowned choreographer Mark Morris as he answered questions about the relationship between creativity and dance. Neuroscientists interested in dance? I wanted to know why.

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The Attraction of Dance

Scientists are turning to dance because it is a multifaceted activity that can help them demystify how the brain coordinates the body to perform complex, precise movements that express emotion and convey meaning. Dancers possess an extraordinary skill set—coordination of limbs, posture, balance, gesture, facial expression, perception, and action in sequences that create meaning in time and space and with effort. Dancers deal with the relationship between experience and observation.

The brain hides from our sight the wondrously complex operations that underlie the feat of dance. Although there are many secrets to unravel about the power of the brain and dance, advances in technology—29 at my last count, such as brain scanning techniques and the experiments using dancers, dance makers, and dance viewers–reveal to us the unexpected.

Misconceptions that dancers shouldn’t think, just dance, or that dance is merely physical or emotional expression, are challenged by reality. Research shows that dance activity also strongly registers in regions of the brain responsible for cognition. Hidden processes reveal that the brain is choreographer, dancer, and spectator. Dance is what the brain does.

The Choreographing Brain

[Read more…]

Filed Under: Dance Wellness Tagged With: Alicia Markova, Antonio Damasio, Ballet, choreography, choreography and the brain, Dance and Health, dance and the brain, dance science, dance wellness, defining dance, Judith Lynne Hanna, making dances, mark morris, neuroplasticity, neuroscience, science and dance, university of maryland, what is dance

From Competition To College

May 22, 2013 by 4dancers

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by Ashley David

Until about two years ago, dance meant taking class at my small studio, preparing for the Nutcracker, participating in dance competitions and practicing for the annual recital. However, I was unsure whether I wanted to dance or not after I graduated high school because I was always told dance was just a “hobby” and not something that I could pursue as a career.

I applied to various schools, some with dance programs and some without, but ultimately chose the University of Maryland, College Park, to pursue a communication degree in public relations. This was a sensible degree that would get me a “real job.” The entire first year of college I did not dance at all­— the worst decision of my life. I went from dancing six days a week to nothing. I lost my creative outlet, stress reliever and passion. I realized during that time I needed to dance, so I added dance as a second major and began my journey in pursuing a B.A. in Dance at the University of Maryland, which I am still currently completing.

I had no idea what I was getting myself into and was skeptical I had made the right choice. The program was described as “modern” and I came from a ballet, tap, jazz, lyrical, contemporary and hip-hop background. I had taken what I dubbed as “weird” modern classes at various conventions, but it was never something I saw myself pursuing further in dance; yet here I was entering a college modern program that did not even require us to take ballet classes.

College Dance Programs

My schedule that first semester as a dance double major included modern, ballet (thank goodness it was an elective class) and improvisation—no jazz, no tap, no lyrical, no contemporary and certainly no hip hop. My very first day of modern class included things such as closing my eyes, grounding myself to the floor, breathing and focusing on tucking in my pelvis as I moved across the space in exercises.

Then I entered improvisation and we did the same thing! Except this time, I had to find and create my own movement. What was this?! I was in absolute shock and thankful I at least had ballet to look forward to as something familiar and normal to me. I spent many days that first semester crying over something my modern teacher said, or not understanding why the technique I had spent years and years developing did not seem as important in this program. Is that not what made a good dancer? I felt disconnected and not sure that I really belonged there. However, towards the end of the semester it all clicked. [Read more…]

Filed Under: Competition Tagged With: Ballet, college park, dance competition, modern dance, university of maryland

Student Spotlight: Gabriella Meiterman-Rodriguez

September 24, 2012 by 4dancers

Today we have a student from the University of Maryland with us for the “student spotlight”…

Gabriella Meiterman-Rodriguez

My involvement in dance began when I was an infant. Most parents enroll their children in gymnastics, soccer, football, etc., but I was enrolled in dance! My mother enrolled me into my first ballet class and I have been dancing ever since. I was told that I picked up the movement and was always focused in class. I would come home and practice my tendus, plies, and arms, so from that point on, dance was my primary hobby. It was not until I was a freshman in high school when I realized dance would be my passion to pursue as a career.

2) What do you find you like best about dance class?

My favorite part of dance class, surprisingly enough, is the warm-up. Although it is difficult to start moving around at 9:30 a.m. in a cold studio, I find this part to be where I am most connected and aware. I have always found it fascinating when the body can transform from a stiff, cold structure into a state where it is warm, limber and ready to move and take on the class. This part of class is where I have the most self-awareness for which body parts need more attention and time for stretching. This awareness practices my self-connectivity and really teaches me to listen to my body’s needs every morning. The warm-up is both my favorite part and the most crucial part of class.

3) What is the hardest part about dance for you?

The hardest part with dance for me is being able to keep my facial expressions active throughout the movement. Sometimes I find myself getting so caught up in the moment of a performance that I lose some of the character. My face during performances is my main focus this year every dance class and it is something I am hoping to make stronger so that I can be a well rounded dancer and performer.

4) What advice would you give to other dancers? [Read more…]

Filed Under: 4dancers, Student Spotlight Tagged With: dance, dance class, dancers, Gabriella Meiterman-Rodriguez, performance, university of maryland

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