Why dance educators should focus on making connections with their dance students
In this blog series, we are exploring ways to help dance educators foster better connections with their students, so that they can teach more effectively and meaningfully. This blog series features insight from NDEO members who responded to a call for submissions, as well as ideas gleaned from resources used in our OPDI courses for dance educators.
In a previous post in this series, we reflected on some of the reasons why it is beneficial for dance educators to make connections with students, and how focusing on connections and relationships can help dance students be more successful. Making these connections can impact everything from how we interact with dance students, to how we plan our lessons and structure our classes, to the content that we teach. It may look different for every teacher, depending on their own experience and skill set, the students they are teaching, and the setting in which they teach. You can read more in the overview post here.
Why connections matter with elementary age dance students
In this post, we will focus on how dance educators can better connect with elementary school age dance students. We are defining elementary age dance students as those approximately age 5-10, in kindergarten through 5th grade. Many elementary age dance students come to class excited to learn and explore movement, and they tend to be enthusiastic learners. However, their eagerness can at times lead to unruly behaviors or quickly turn to boredom when they are faced with the repetition and rigor that is often associated with traditional approaches to dance training. Additionally, many current elementary age dance students were affected by the Covid-19 pandemic. They may have missed out on the traditional preschool or kindergarten experience, or may still be adjusting to the norms of school and social life after spending their early lives during periods of lockdowns and social distancing.
When we adapt our teaching practices to focus more on making connections and building relationships with elementary age dance students, we can help them stay engaged in their dance classes and developing the social skills that they may be lacking due to their disrupted early childhood. It is important to consider where elementary age dance students are in their development as we explore ways to make connections with them. According to the nonprofit , elementary age dance students respond well to both collaboration and competition. This can make play an effective learning tool with this age group. At the elementary level, play in the dance studio might include gamification, dance games, creative movement activities, and peer challenges. Elementary age dance students are often energetic and curious, wanting to learn new things and take on new challenges. As they begin to seek independence and autonomy, elementary age dance students often desire to be accepted by their peers, but still also look to adults for approval. Finally, they want to express themselves and share what they like, know, and can do. When dance educators allow their elementary age dance students to express themselves, share their experiences, and take an active role in the class, they can build stronger and more meaningful relationships with them. This can make class management easier, and keep students more engaged in the learning process.
Strategies for making connections with elementary age dance students
In this section, we share 6 strategies for making connections with elementary school dance students. These strategies are derived from contributions by NDEO members based on their own experience teaching elementary school dance students, as well as from resources used in our OPDI courses for dance educators. The contributors to this blog series have worked in a range of dance education settings, including dance studios, K-12 schools, and community outreach programs. We hope that dance educators working in all dance environments, and teaching any dance style, will find this information useful.
Set clear expectations for your elementary age dance students, and communicate them effectively
Elementary age dance students need simple, clearly defined expectations for how they are to conduct themselves and interact with others in the dance studio. Dance teachers cannot assume that elementary age dances students know or understand how to act in dance classes, particularly when it comes to the sometimes unspoken traditions and etiquette that are unique to dance. These expectations need to be communicated frequently to both students and parents, and consequences for not meeting them must be consistently and fairly enforced in your dance classes. Nicole Heikkila-Popkin, Dance Instructor in Michigan, describes how she communicates and enforces expectations with her young students: 鈥淲hile I have never been the 'mean' teacher, I have learned to be more strict in my expectations. I wrote down and displayed my classroom expectations (not "rules"), which centered around respect for their classmates, teachers, themselves, and the classroom/equipment. I also displayed what will happen if they are not meeting expectations- verbal warning, sit out of activity, get sent out to your grown-up, etc. The two things that helped me the most with this implementation were getting a teacher assistant, and telling the grown-ups of my expectations and emphasizing that their students will be the most successful if they work with me in reminding the students of my classroom expectations.鈥�
Susan Woodham, Teaching Artist, Outreach Coordinator, and Ballet Teacher in South Carolina, also believes in the importance of clear expectations to help instill a culture of respect in her dance classes: 鈥淚 would state that I had no rules, just expectations. I would expect that they not interrupt me or another student, respect others, always do their best and to have fun. If someone was unruly, I would have them sit out. I would go back to that student after a minute or two and ask why they were sitting out. If they could answer with the behavior and tell me what they would do differently next time, they got to rejoin the group. I would also encourage them to help our class, not hurt our class.鈥�
While communicating and enforcing class expectations is vital, it is perhaps more important that you model them for your elementary age dance students. How you conduct yourself in class will give students cues as to how they should behave, too. Andi Leggett, a Dance Teacher at Denver Public Schools in Colorado, believes that creating a positive and productive class culture starts with her example. 鈥淢indfulness plays a large part in my work with students,鈥� she says. 鈥淚 model being self-aware, regulating my emotions, and struggling with obstacles without giving up. I start my work from a place of love for my students and for what I do.鈥�
Don鈥檛 be afraid of play in your elementary age dance classes
Some dance teachers are under the impression that dance games and other forms of play are frivolous, silly, or a waste of time. But it is vital to remember that elementary age children learn through play, and that play provides an outlet for their natural energy, enthusiasm, and desire for expression and peer connection. Play can be a great way to help elementary age dance students foster deeper understanding and application of the dance technique, skills, and concepts that are taught. Educational dance games, gamification of technique exercises, story dances, and imaginative scenarios can all be great teaching tools for elementary age dance students. In the document, 鈥淢ovement in the Classroom: Rationales, Guidelines, and Resources To Get Schools Moving,鈥� Dr. Martha Eddy CMA, RSMT says that dance games offer many benefits for learners, including creativity, communication, and community, rest and re-focusing, expression, and awareness. 鈥淕roup games and structured movement activities promote both fun and learning for the student as well as promote a positive environment for the classroom,鈥� according to Eddy.
Play can also be a useful tool for getting to know your elementary age dance students and building strong relationships in the dance studio, as Woodham points out. She uses play at the beginning of the year to help students learn more about one another and form new friendships: 鈥淲e play a grouping game at the beginning of the year to establish forming groups. This helps students break beyond the "best friend" set up.鈥�
Because play can tap into many different learning styles, it can be an effective tool to help you teach elementary age dance students in a way that is most beneficial for them. 鈥淏eing able to reach all students in class encompasses the ability to understand the different modalities in which students learn,鈥� says Susan Woodham. 鈥淔rom Verbal/Linguistic to Bodily/Kinesthetic to Mathematical/Spatial, I must be able to demonstrate that I understand the child鈥檚 needs and then address those needs through the class.鈥� Play, including dance games, imaginative activities, and gamification, can help teachers make dance more accessible to students who learn in different ways. Most importantly, it can help make difficult concepts and skills more accessible to elementary age dance students with different skill levels, experience, and abilities. Because as Woordham points out, 鈥淎 teacher should also understand that success for one child looks different than for another and provide accommodations for all students to be successful.鈥� Play can be the equalizer that helps all elementary age dance students find their version of success in the dance studio.
Make personal connections with your elementary age dance students
Getting to know your elementary age dance students can help you use imagery, metaphors, references, and music that resonates with them and keeps them engaged in the learning process. Make time during class to ask students questions about what interests them, note the things that excite them, and pay attention to the little details like the stickers on their water bottle or the movie they are talking about before class starts. Use their interests in your teaching practices as much as you can, to help make dance relevant for them. For example, if your elementary age dance students are into super heroes, you can ask them to 鈥減ower up鈥� their jumps by imagining they have rocket boosters under their feet like Iron Man. If they are fans of Taylor Swift, you can find arrangements of her music to use in your ballet classes. If there are sports fans in the group, you can talk about how professional athletes use dance as part of their training and conditioning programs, or highlight how dances are used in sport, such as touchdown celebrations in American football or how the traditional M膩ori haka dance has been a part of New Zealand rugby for nearly 150 years. Connecting with your elementary age dance students鈥� interests will show them that you care and are invested in them as dancers and as people.
Beyond connecting dance to the things that they like outside the studio, getting to know your elementary age dance students can help you better support their physical, mental, and emotional growth in the dance studio. You can ask students or their parents if there are any accommodations or different needs that the students have, whether it is something documented through the school or just anecdotal that helps them manage behaviors at home. For example, some elementary age dance students might act out when they are overstimulated, and might benefit from a quiet moment in the corner or even a trip to the restroom or front desk to reset when they are acting out. Some might shut down when they feel like they are the center of attention, and might prefer not to be singled out for feedback (even the positive kind!) in front of the class. When you get to know these kinds of details about your elementary age dance students, you can better support their learning throughout the year. Heikkila-Popkin starts each year or session with age-appropriate inquiry to her students, 鈥淚f they know something that will help them learn or be successful in class, they should tell me. I also try to keep an open conversation with the grown-ups of my students, so they will let me know of any learning or physical accommodations their dancer needs.鈥�
Fedra Tavia Hunte, a Dance Educator in Ohio, notes the relationship between making personal connections with students and creating a supportive class community: 鈥淚 always use the first week of classes at the beginning of the semester to talk to my students about how I would like us to serve each other in the learning process. I ensure that I state how important it is for me that they are able to be themselves in the class. I speak about how important it is for us to appreciate the bodies that we live in and to never compare ourselves to or judge others. I establish a "No Judgement Space" and a "No bullying territory". This does not prevent cases from popping up, but it has helped a great deal in making students and their families comfortable in my care.鈥�
Invite laughter into your elementary age dance classes
Creating a positive dance experience in elementary age dance classes can start with something as small as a silly joke. Here鈥檚 one you can try out in your next class: 鈥淲hat advice did Yoda鈥檚 ballet teacher give him? Tendu or tendu not, there is no try.鈥� Elementary age dance students, in general, love a good joke. Laughter can be a great way to break the ice, help your students feel relaxed and comfortable, and allow them to build trust in you. Plus, laughter is good for our health and wellbeing! In 鈥淢ovement in the Classroom: Rationales, Guidelines, and Resources To Get Schools Moving,鈥� Dr. Eddy notes that laughter can boost the immune system, release tension, and stimulate creativity. Elementary age dance students often respond especially well to humor and silliness in class, because it is a natural part of child development at that stage. Using humor with this age group can be a good way to connect with them, create a sense of class community, and reinforce learning. For example, telling students to squish a grape at the end of their flap in tap class might help them remember to accentuate that part of the step, or telling them to keep their 鈥渄ucktales鈥� down might help them find the right alignment for pl铆e in ballet class.
Of course, sometimes students respond a little too well to humor in class, and so you will need to be prepared to bring them back to focus. A call and response pattern can be a good way to get student attention if the silliness gets overwhelming. Some time-tested call and response patterns include: 鈥淥ne, two, three, eyes on me!鈥� with the class responding 鈥淥ne, two, eyes on you!;鈥� 鈥淩eady, set?鈥� with the class responding 鈥淵ou bet!;鈥� or 鈥淐lap if you can hear me!鈥� with the class clapping once in response. Dr. Martha Eddy offers more suggestions for regaining students鈥� attention, including different clapping rhythms, gongs, chimes, or bell, songs or sounds, and gestures.
Use Guided Discovery as a Learning Tool
As dance educators, we are facilitators of learning. Sometimes, that learning happens when we directly pass down knowledge that we have gleaned through our own education and experiences. But often, the best way to facilitate student learning is to allow them to make their own discoveries through experimentation, creativity, and play. Dr. Theresa Purcell Cone, in the document 鈥淒ance Instructional Strategies,鈥� wrote that: 鈥淭he goal of guided discovery is for the student to think about the question and find a solution. The teacher presents the task or asks questions, and students respond with a movement. The teacher acknowledges that there can be different responses to the same task.鈥� Cone described the examples: Find a way to make a low round shape, or Is there another way you can move on a curvy pathway? This style is frequently used in creative dance, but it can be adapted for other dance genres and styles as well. Elementary age dance students are often particularly open to guided discovery as a learning tool, as they can be more open to expressing their own creativity and less influenced by peer pressure than older students. Guided discovery is a great way to empower students to develop their own understanding of what they are learning, but it can look different in every class. Fedra Tavia Hunte uses a collaborative approach to guided discovery in her teaching practice, noting that, 鈥淕roup assignments work best. Students enjoy creating their own choreography with the help of their teachers. Peer teaching and peer feedback can also be effective with good guidance.鈥�
Commit to Lifelong Learning as a Dance Educator
The best way to connect with your dance students of any age is to continue to be a student yourself. Dance and dance education is a continually evolving field, as new discoveries are made about child development, kinesiology and injury prevention, pedagogy, and related fields. Learning new strategies and ideas, and applying those in your dance classes, is a great way to ensure that you are connecting with your students in real and meaningful ways. NDEO鈥檚 Online Professional Development Institute offers convenient continuing education classes that will help you make stronger connections with your students. Courses are taught by learning experts in the field, featuring materials from top dance scholars and practitioners, including the documents by Dr. Martha Eddy and Dr. Theresa Purcell Cone cited above. They also allow you to connect with engaged and passionate dance educators from around the world, with whom you can share real in-studio experiences and practical resources that will make a difference in your teaching practice. Learn more about our courses here.
Read more
Strategies for Connecting with Your Dance Students Part 1: Overview
Strategies for Connecting with Your Dance Students Part 2: Preschool Students
Photo credits (from top to bottom): Karen Campbell Kuebler, Rikki Ziegelman, BALLROOM BASIX USA, INC., Ela Wolska-Wojda, Photo courtesy of The Dance Foundation, Michelle Connelly