ýҕl


Please Wait a Moment
X

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.

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...
Read More
By Luke Kahlich, Professor Emeritus, Temple University ~~ While I understand the complexity of charting new territory in assessment, I am concerned that the value of the content in the arts is not sacrificed for expediency or structure. I believe that we have entered a new age where the only certainty is change and that the future success of students will depend on flexibility in thought, knowledge of access procedures, and tolerance and respect of multiple perspectives. To address this new worl...
Read More
by Pascal Rekoert, Assistant Professor and Dance Education Program Director at Central Connecticut State University ~~ If one thinks about teaching and learning in dance education, the realization dawns quickly that, like the art form, dance education is a gendered field. As a nation, the U.S. upholds rigorous and conservative beliefs and values towards gender norms, especially the expectations towards men. While dance has become increasingly accepted for males, especially in progressive regions...
Read More
By Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects Coordinator ~~ Dance can sometimes get a bad wrap in society. It can be considered frivolous and inconsequential, a nice hobby to have but nothing more. As dancers, though, we know that dance can be powerful! Dance offers physical, mental, and emotional benefits to individuals and can help build strong and supportive communities. Throughout history, dance has been used to bring people together, raise awareness of societal issues, and help support im...
Read More
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...
Read More
by Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects Coordinator, “What is Jazz Dance?” It’s a simple question, but the answers are not as straightforward as they might appear. We can find the answer by not just peeking at current jazz classes in dance studios today, but by also taking a look back through time at the powerful roots and winding branches that have built this unique genre and helped shape American history...
Read More
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...
Read More
By Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects ~~ If the term “Creative Dance” conjures up images of young children running and skipping with wild abandon, pretending to be butterflies, fairies, or pirates, you are not alone! Creative Dance is sometimes misunderstood by families seeking to enroll their children in dance classes - and even by some dance teachers. But even though Creative Dance may not be as clearly defined or widely recognized as classes like Jazz, Ballet, and Tap, there are ma...
Read More
By Danielle Lydia Sheather, MFA, Assistant Professor of Dance, Southern Utah University ~~ Following the remarks of Kentucky’s Governor Matt Bevin in 2018, "If you're studying interpretive dance, God bless you, but there's not a lot of jobs right now in America looking for people with that as a skill set," I found it urgent to study the relationship between dance, higher education and the stigma that surrounds majoring in the subject...
Read More
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...
Read More
By Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects Coordinator ~~ For most dance educators working in private studios, January marks the beginning of recital choreography season. After spending the first half of the dance season introducing new steps and elements of dance technique, many dance teachers will begin creating choreography for the end-of-year recital when they return from the winter break. This can be a time of great creativity for teachers and excitement for students. But, it can also p...
Read More
by Pascal Rekoert, Assistant Professor and Dance Education Program Director at Central Connecticut State University ~~ After two adventurous years that feel like a century due to COVID-19 pitfalls and pratfalls, I am learning to prioritize self-care. As a perfectionist and chronic overachiever who has had difficulty separating work from family life while working remotely, the importance of to-do's, have-to-do's, and overdue-do's ...
Read More
by Jennifer Meckley, Assistant Professor of Dance at Ball State University ~~ As a gender non-conforming pansexual dance teacher in higher education, I have been conversing with colleagues and students about the challenges LGBTQIA and genderqueer students experience in academia and ways we can create safer and more inclusive spaces for these students. I will offer tips on how I have been proactively creating these spaces and will provide some insight on how everyone can contribute to creating he...
Read More
by Nancy H. Moses, Professor Emerita, Bridgewater State University ~~ What do MADEO, MMEA, MAEA and METG have in Common? This fruit salad of initials is a group of Massachusetts Professional Arts Education Organizations; they are all concerned with Advocacy; and they are all a part of a collective impact coalition called Arts for All in Massachusetts gathered together with other organizations by a group called Arts|Learning. Arts for All was created partly in response to the realization that STE...
Read More
By Jan Erkert, Head and Professor (2006-2022) Department of Dance at University of Illinois ~~ 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...
Read More
Page 4 of 11 [4]

Subscribe to our Blog

Submit a Blog Post

To learn more about submitting a Guest Blog post, click here.

Search our Blog

Blog by Date

Categories