4dancers
From PBS: Lesson Plan Help For The Dance Classroom
I found this while searching for lesson plan help…figured that classroom teachers could use another resource, and this one is a good one, depending on the age group you teach. PBS has put together a comprehensive plan for introducing students to the roots of Modern Dance in America.
There is a radio story to listen to as well as plenty of ideas for discussion, and you will even find activity sheets that you can print out. Use everything they have provided–or customize your own lesson plan based on some of the ideas from here.
Dance Jobs: University Of North Carolina, Ballet Faculty – School of Dance
Since I just featured a school from the state, I thought I might add a job opportunity from there as well. The University of North Carolina School Of The Arts is searching for a Ballet Faculty member for the School of Dance. The appointment begins in September of 2010, and the review for the postion will start on January 15, 2010. If you are interested, see the job description for more details.
Featured Studio: Cary Ballet Conservatory
Name: Cary Ballet Conservatory
Location: 3791 NW Cary Parkway, Cary, NC, 27513
About: The Cary Ballet Conservatory is a lovely facility located in North Carolina. The building they are housed in is a large one and there are four studios–the largest of which is more than 3,000 square feet. Sprung floors and vaulted ceilings provide a wonderful, safe environment for students. I was really impressed with what I saw of the facility.
In addition to the studios, there is also a lounge area and gazebo on the premises. With ballet training as the underpinning for their philosophy on dance, the school trains students and the Cary Ballet Company gives the advanced level, pre-professional students plenty of performance opportunities.
At the helm here is Suzanne Laliberté Clark, who is the Founder and Director, Rossana Nesta Machi, who serves as Ballet Mistress, and a well-rounded staff with a variety of different backgrounds. If you are interested in classes, or want to get in touch with the studio, call 919-481-6509.
The Nutcracker And You
Everyone has their favorite corner of this holiday classic. For me it was always the snow queen. It doesn’t matter how many times I hear that music….
Some people love the sugar plum. Others have an affinity for the Spanish dance or the Arabian dance. The choices are as varied as the music. It never ceases to amaze me how different parts of The Nutcracker affect different people. As a little girl, I wanted to be Clara, but as I got older the role had less and less appeal…
I’d be interested to hear what 4dancers readers have to say about this ballet. What do you connect with? Who would you be if you had your choice? What was your favorite role to dance?
Dancing With The Music
Dancing with the feet is one thing, but dancing with the heart is another. ~Author Unknown
There was a girl in my early ballet classes that had it all–or so I thought. She had perfect feet, a perfect body and flawless technique. Every combination was executed exactly as it should be. Every position was correct. I thought I wanted to be her…
Then I discovered something…she had no musicality.
Now…I don’t mean she couldn’t dance to the beats of the music. She did that. But there is a certain something that sets a dancer apart when she becomes one with the music instead of dancing to it. And that…she didn’t have.
It can be difficult to explain why a dancer captures an audience. There is a certain, elusive “something” that they have that by its very nature defies quantifying. Even so…you know it when you see it. And it is my firm belief that you either have it–or you don’t. I think that musicality is something that is innate. I don’t think it can be learned. That is why the quote above speaks to me. It puts forth the same type of idea as dancing to the music as opposed to dancing with it.
Teaching Tip: Remembering Names
As a teacher, you need to know how to remember names.
For many people this can be a challenge, but the good news is that there are many different tools you can employ to do it. Here are a few, along with some resources for more help if you need it:
+ For the first two or three classes, try to use names all the time. Students are forgiving if you forget in the beginning, but later on it can be insulting if you don’t remember a name.
+ Use a class list. I used to do this all the time…I’d print out a class list, then make a few notes during the course of the class to help remember who is who. Haircolor, outstanding features and anything else you can jot down will be helpful.
+ Make a conscious effort to remember names when people introduce themselves. If you are distracted, chances are it won’t sink in. Focus on the person and mentally (or even verbally) repeat the name so you solidify it in your head…
Making Waves
Just as the wave cannot exist for itself, but is ever a part of the heaving surface of the ocean, so must I never live my life for itself, but always in the experience which is going on around me. It is an uncomfortable doctrine which the true ethics whisper into my ear. You are happy, they say; therefore you are called upon to give much.”
- Albert Schweitzer
I came upon this quote recently and it kept popping back into my mind when I thought about dance. We are part of something larger than ourselves when it comes to what we can share through movement, and this is what makes every single person who is involved in the field important. Not just the people who are at the top, dancing at the best companies…but those who share the love–the happiness that they get through dance with another…even in the smallest ways. Music and movement have the tremendous power to heal, to connect and to ease pain. I have seen it when I worked with physically and mentally challenged children, and I have seen it on the faces of those who are far older than I in class….
Dance Bloggers
Dance Bloggers is a wonderful site that I highly recommend. Keep up on the dance blogs that are out there by hitting their site to see what is new from around the blogosphere, or get a daily e-mail with the headlines and first few sentences of posts for the day. It’s a great way to stay connected to the dance world without doing any work–they’ve done it for you! Started by two dance bloggers in Israel, it really is a terrific site.
If you are a dance blogger, sign up!
Dance Advance
If you think the picture here is interesting, just wait until you see the website.
Dance Advance is something I stumbled across while surfing, and I can’t believe I didn’t see it sooner. The “documents” section is what I would like to highlight here in particular, as there is some truly top-notch writing about dance in these articles–from all over the world. You’ll see pieces about Japanese ballet history, Cambodian dance history and well-crafted thought pieces on dance in general. This is a site for thinkers…
Bursitis And Tendinitis
If you have ever had bursitis or tendinitis you know how much pain either of these can cause. Early on in my career I had Achillies tendinitis so bad that I could hardly dance. If you or a dancer you know suffers from either of these conditions, it is important to get medical help so that you can come up with a good treatment plan. For some background information on what the conditions are and some details on prevention, check out the National Institutes of Health.
