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Dance Education Blog

NDEO's "Dance Education" Blog features articles written by NDEO members about dance and dance education topics as well as periodic updates on NDEO programs and services. This is a FREE resource available to ALL.

Archive by category: PedagogyReturn
by Pascal Rekoert, Assistant Professor and Dance Education Program Director at Central Connecticut State University ~~ Successful educators continually adopt a sense of curiosity in their work environment, ideally adjusting to their community’s needs and learning attitudes. As teachers, we are leaders who strengthen our community in the microcosm of our learning spaces, guiding individual students toward success. It is imperative to build (or revisit) our teaching philosophy annually. While thi...
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By Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects ~~ 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 wh...
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by Tamara Irving, Higher Ed Educator; Consultant, TMI Design & Consulting ~~ As a passionate performer without a formal dance education degree, my journey into teaching was unorthodox. Still, I was eager to share my love for dance with students and inspire their passion for this art form. However, without a structured framework, it was challenging to offer comprehensive dance education. That's when I discovered the International Baccalaureate (IB) Dance Program, a game-changer for both my st...
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By Krista Brown, Freelance Teaching Artist ~~ Many veteran teachers know the voice that springs up when there is a lull in learning choreography. As I am scrolling through notes, if ever there is a quiet moment I often hear “we could…” or “what about this…” In my early years of teaching, I’d shoo it away and say, “that’s a nice idea” and proceed with my choreography notes. Whether this is how I feel the classroom is best managed, I think rests on something beyond just expectation setti...
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by Krista Brown, Freelance Teaching Artist ~~ Traditional classrooms have this ability with their constructed spaces dedicated to learning and transition between multiple subjects during the entire day. Dance teachers don’t possess this in most cases. As a freelance teacher, I shift from space to space with totally different students. There is a solution that has brought me this relationship I crave as well as a focused attention from my students: my fuzzy little friend, talking tomato. This...
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By Alyssa Thostesen, Dance Facilitator, Arts Access Program at Matheny ~~ From accepting identities outside of the gender binary to celebrating diverse body shapes, abilities, and aesthetics, the dance world has been slowly embracing the idea of otherness in studios and performance. We, as a community, have taken major steps towards inclusion since the early years of codified dance that were fixated on appearance and sought perfection found in the ideal dancer physique through years of exploring...
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by Cheryl Johnson, Adjunct Lecturer, Dance - University of Rochester ~~ I perceive jazz dance as a creation of people: people that I have met and who have influenced my life, and people of the past who have revolutionized American culture: Charles Sherwood: my uncle, percussionist with the U.S. Navy Band in Korea, who turned me on to jazz chord progressions: Steve Porter: dancer in the Company of Man, Buffalo, NY a Vietnam War Veteran who turned me on to the music of Nina Simone and dancing from...
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By Elizabeth McPherson, Professor and Director of the Dance Division, Montclair State University ~~ Historically, US dance has stood in comparison to European dance, often striving to emulate Western European aesthetics. Dance forms seen as lacking in these aesthetics have been deemed less artistic and less refined. While Western European influence on much of US culture including dance remains strong, there are many, many more influences and dance histories that comprise US dance. Perspectives o...
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By Maria Haralambis, M.Ed., NASM CES, FMT, The Dance Scientist, LLC, PhD Student, Entrepreneur ~~ The field of Dance Science is an excellent way for dancers to learn about their bodies, anatomy and biomechanics from a young age. These lessons on anatomical awareness impact dancers for the rest of their lives and are unique to dance. One of the biggest ways I believe we can make Dance Science more normalized is by having a consistent curriculum for young dancers, who I believe are left out of dan...
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By Demi Agaiby, M.S., Dance Psychology Consultant and Director of Beyond Horizons Performance ~~ As dance educators, it seems as though there is constant pressure to create. Whether it's choreographing the group piece for the spring showcase or putting the final touches on a competition solo - we've all been in a situation where we are rushing to beat the clock. Although we might have a plan in place to get those things done, life happens. Perhaps a snowstorm cancels a much-needed rehear...
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By Jan Erkert, who was Head and Professor in the Department of Dance at University of Illinois from 2006-2022. ~~This 3-part blog series explores how dance artists can utilize embodied knowledge and choreographic process to interrogate systemic racism in dance programs. Dance departments and their curricula entered academia in the mid-20th century primarily reflecting the values of the dominant white culture in the United States. Ballet and modern often became the pillars of these curricula and ...
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By Jennifer Seigle, Residential Dance Faculty and Program Director for Dance at Mesa Community College ~~ What if we thought about business education in dance not only as an important competency, but also as a step toward a more diverse and equitable field? I wonder, does our reticence to discuss the financial aspects of a life in dance make our field less inclusive? Could we make it more inclusive by talking about how we get paid?...
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By Anabella Lenzu, choreographer, teacher, professor, and writer ~~ For me, self-discipline is the key to working on the flexibility and strength of one’s mind, body, and spirit. Without self-discipline, the life of an artist is impossible. Self-discipline is a respect for what you love. It is your ability to continue choosing to work on your art despite being tired one day, sick another, or any other number of challenges that may arise.No one is going to scream at you and tell you what to do ...
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By MaryAnne Fernandez Herding, Chair of Dance, Xavier College Prep and Director/Founder, Movement Source Dance Company  - The onset of Covid-19 in our world limited a lot of the things I was used to doing. Being an active dance teacher, running a non-profit dance company, and being very social with a full calendar, in mid-March of 2020 my life shifted quite a bit, as did many of our lives. I found myself delving into things I had put on a back burner. I had time to think about, “What can I do t...
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NDEO Staff | 02 Jun, 2021 | Pedagogy, Covid-19 | 0 Comments |
By Dr. Meredith Sims, Associate Professor of Dance, Coker University - Just like most, I am ready to “get back to normal.” Although, I’m not sure what this means anymore. What was normal? Will it ever be that again? Should it be? The disparity among our students was highlighted by the pandemic - unreliable wifi, unsafe living situations, lack of support, mental health concerns - all impacted student learning. Educators have been exhaustingly navigating the changing landscape with ingenuity, e...
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