Dance Elements

Course Correct!

After talking with some wonderfully supportive and knowledgeable advisors – thank you Marilyn Berrett and Kathleen Sheffield! – I went with my gut and took a significant step back.  I’ve been having this growing idea the past few weeks that I’ve been sequencing my curriculum plan in a less than efficient way.  I discussed my concerns and frustrations with myself with my mentors and felt good about going back to square one.  So today, our lesson was basically a crash course in creative dance.  I should have done this at the very beginning, but better slightly late than never! 

The class was SO successful today!  I truly enjoyed it.  Management has become better and better as the class has gotten to know me, tested me, and now are beginning to respect me without encouragement from someone else.  So I worry less about keeping them in control and now have more freedom to truly see them and take them to new levels. 

We covered Space, Shape, Size, Levels, and Energy today.  (I figured that I had already addressed pathways and Time elements in previous lessons, and we begin every class with the Brain Dance now, which covers the Patterns of Total Body Connectivity and Body elements.)  The class really grasped the concepts today and I saw more creativity than I have previously.  I guess it’s true that having some limitations or guidelines really does make you more free.  

I feel much better about where I’m going now.  I feel like I’ve taken some time to allow them to build a foundation that will enable them to understand me and what I expect.  They have a better idea about what creative movement can be built on and will be able to explore further in the future.

I also tried a lesson plan reminder trick.  I made a large font, bulleted list of the main activities and points I would hit throughout the class (it was a very wide-spread lesson) so I wouldn't be so glued to the detailed, full paragraph-ed lesson plan.  I put  my list by the board and I could glance at it every time I walked by.  Miraculous!  It totally worked.  I was able to keep myself on track, fill in the gaps from the prompts, and still be present and aware for the class.  New favorite aid, right there.  That's definitely happening again next week. :)

Mrs. Findlay and I are going to begin moving towards our culminating project.  We’ve decided on an Arts Gallery type showcase.  There is another ArtsBridge scholar at the school teaching Visual Arts.  We think it will be a really fun experience to have the two classes show what they’ve learned throughout the semester.  Mrs. Shipp’s class can show their art projects and Mrs. Findlay’s class can showcase a dance.  I’m excited to move forward and feel much less lost!

Favorite Moments:  

•  Smoothland and Sharpland was definitely a favorite with the students.  It made me happy to watch their excitement.
• Talking about where else in the world we see far reach and near reach kinds of objects - there were some great responses.  One boy raised his hand and for small-reach said, "Midgets! I mean . . . minions!"  Wow, I really had to choke back a laugh.  We clarified that he meant the little yellow guys from "Despicable Me," then talked about why they were small-reach in their shapes and movement.  But he was so excited when he blurted out the first name he could remember.  It was a somewhat shocking and then humorous moment.