4d

I have recently been reading 'The Concept of Dance Education' by Graham McFee (Published by Routledge 25 November 1993.) At first I found this book very deep in the legal system which did not help me much at first, but I'm so glad I carried on reading as it is completely a different side of teaching I had not thought about before. I want to focus on one part of the book specifically in chapter 14 (p158-165.)

At the beginning of this section it talks about making sure your students enjoyment, interest, confidence and their sense of personal worth is happening in class this all comes down to active learning. If passive learning and inappropriate styles are being 'taught' this will lead to irritation and maybe even failure. Your students need to enjoy their class, if you want to enhance your students learning you need to work together, and having their full attention is crucial! I believe this all comes down to the teachers passion of their subject, they need to make it interesting for their pupils.

Graham McFee believed you had to plan your classes and put them into effect under 8 different headings;

1. the objectives of the style- what are you aiming towards?

2. the anatomy of the style- understanding the body in this specific style of dance.

3. the implementation- to plan your class and to make sure that this happens.

4. the implication of the style- the conclusion that can be drawn from something or an exercise in class.

5. selecting and designing the subject matter- distinguishing this style from others, make sure they completely understand, where did this style come from?

6. style-specific comments- understanding how to correct your students in this style, you need to have a lot of knowledge on the style before you teach a class.

7. the development channels- Being able to develop the steps, breaking it down at first and making it harder each week or each time you have a class. The class needs to feel like they are improving.

8. examples of subject-matter- Make sure your students have seen examples of performances or classes of this style, they can see how the body moves, certain positions or motif that happen regularly in this specific style.

Before teaching a certain element of a style it is important that you have thought about what your students will be learning and have broke down the material before teaching so much so that your students can observe and pick it up with pace. You need to make sure they find it challenging but not so much so they are put off or you spend too much time that they lose their concentration. Another side of teaching that is sometimes forgotten is the ability for students to work on their communication skills, skills of observing, analysing steps or routines; what is good about what they have watched? What can be improved? And the awareness of others. Some of these seem like common sense and can easily be forgotten about but for example when teaching leaps from the corner telling your students to walk around the room to the next corner instead of running across the studio in front of someone else who is attempting leaps, this comes down to being aware of others in the studio.

I found a certain section of this book fascinating it was about free expression and how every child can dance, the sharpness of their senses and the speed their reaction constantly, proves all children can dance. It is just turning their movement into dance which means it becomes clearly defined.

This got me thinking if anyone can dance surely that means anyone can teach? But does it mean everyone could be a good teacher, because I do not think that is the case. Apart of me is still unsure if everyone can dance or at least dance to a high standard. I know grown adults that find it hard to clap in time with music, I have recently started teaching an adult ballet class and yes they move to the music but there is no technique behind it yet, and some even look stiff or awkward, I'm sure they will improve greatly over time but Graham McFee specifically implies only children can dance? Is dancing something you need to start at a young age?

 After reading Graham McFee's book and how he believes all children can dance, I do agree to a certain extent. I think we all have the ability to express our feeling in dance, and most of us have the ability of movement which is an amazing feeling, but when it comes to technique and performing on stage I do not think everyone has what it takes. This has got me thinking a lot about my personal inquiry, I am starting to believe having a professional career before going into teaching does not help as much as I thought it would, I have read many articles, books etc... on teaching and they all have different bullet points to what makes you a good teacher but none have mentioned experience which I find shocking. I think you can be a good teacher if you have not had any professional experience on stage but I think it must still help slightly, even having the knowledge of what happens behind stage, having the chance to perform at different theatres and how each venue is different. Actually knowing how it feels to perform most days and nights, or touring and living out of a suitcase surely you can past that experience on to students.