Kerin - Week 5 - Dance

When I first found out dance was included in this unit, I was nervous as I don't believe I have any skills for teaching dancing.  My only exposure to dance was in my 20's when I did ballet rehersals and Jazzercise for exercise. However as a musician I enjoy bush dancing. We are encouraged to learn and participate in the dances in order to understand the requirements for playing for the dances.
However after watching the video's, I realise that at primary stage it is about engaging in expressive movement and learning to interpret emotions and feeling and expressively interpreting of subject matter.  From accumulated knowledge I now feel confident to be able to guide early dancers to experience creative movement and have fun.
At my regular school one day the kids invited me to see their rehersal during the lunch break. It was grade 3/4 and run by a grade 5 boy. I was astounded at the sophistication of their made up movements and several of the children did not even have televisions. I was amazed at their resourcefulness and confidence.  None of them had dance training and it was really almost an imitation of an adult contemporary dance performance. Lots of wiggling of hips, sliding and rolling of the ground and plenty of expressive hand affects. They were wonderful and it was all their ow work. These young and enthusiastic people arranged to perform at the assembly on stage. I think they were amazingly brave and confident and for the boy who organised it and was the star, this experience could have changed his life as he was often unhappy from his diabetes and feeling picked on by his peers. He is now considering dance and acting as a potential future career and area at high school where he may be accepted and excel.
There are some great resources available in dance from organisations like Tasdance and by support of dance residencies. On Saturday 17th August, I was lucky enough to go to a performance of Submarine: Shining Light into the Depths, choreographed and directed by Dean Walsh and assisted by Katherine Gurr, a dancer for Western Australia.  It included community members from aged 7 to 70 in expressive, creative movement about scuba diving and undersea experiences.  My nephew was performing. None of the participants were trained in Dance. The aim was to " demystify thechoreographic process, promote the benefits of communication this physical art for is capable of,whilst generating interst in all matters marine".  The performers although inexperienced help shape the performance through workshopping over a 3 week period.  It was a visually attractive and the performers were so inspired by the professionals who worked with them.
I believe primary students would benefit greatly from residencies by professional musicians, actors,artists and dancers.

Reference
www.tasdance.com.au