Structure, rules and butterflies

Now that I've started, with the new year of creative dance, and the blog, I probably should go over some basic rules.

Managing a class of preschoolers dancing is like the proverbial herding of butterflies.

When teaching children or adults I try, like a doctor, to First do no Harm.  So, physical safety is important.

So, first, do not make them hate dance.  Too much structure, too much talking (by the teacher), too much waiting in line could make a child hate dance.  I try to keep lots of kids moving at the same time.

I also try very hard not to injure the spirit of a child.  When the elephant music comes on and the kids are stomping around and using their arms as trunks, except for one child who is fluttering around like a buttlerly it hurts me to hear his/her parent say:  "No, Suzy, not like that.  See Miss Elizabeth?  Dance like an elephant!" 

When I am with preschoolers, I do not correct movememt unless it is unsafe.  Three year olds have an amazing vocabulary of moves and some very idiosyncratic ideas of how the world, including elephants, works.   It is inspiring to me to experience their fresh ideas, unfettered by a world of experience of what is the right or wrong answer.

  Besides, some elephants DO fly!

I hope I am helping to train dancers, dance audiences, creative spirits, and critical thinkers.

                                                             
                                                                                                           
                                    
As a novice teacher I brought to my preschool class a lesson plan that mirrored traditional dance class structure.  I included a warm-up, across the floor work, and a cool down.  Three year olds do not necessarily need a physical warm-up and cool down but the structure helped me implement my own vision. 

After teaching for many years I realized it is still a good model.  Audiences respond to a beginning, middle and end model--think of the warm-up comic.  Professional conferences often have a keynote speaker, break out sessions, a closing talk.  Think of it as a mental preparation, work session and transition time.

Now, in dance technique class the warm-up usually includes a simple version  of some of the moves the class will be performing in the rest of the class.  Then there is repetition of the moves.  Often there is a playing with the steps, reversing them, trying them in different groupings or facings. .  And of course, the cool down is important for stretching the muscles you have just used.  But it also provides a space for letting the ideas you just worked on sink in and to beginning thinking about what's next.

In the class outlines I provide my version of the tradtitional dance class  structure as follows..

                   Introduction-introducing myself and getting to know children, dealing with issues specific to the day

                   Warm up - focusing on using bodies in space

                   Concept - introduction of an idea through words or movement  Any idea will do: shapes, dogs, level, water

                   Practice - using movements to express and explore the idea in a structured way or freestyle, or both

                   Cool Down - calming, transition to next activity for children

As lovely as that all sounds, there are days I have to throw it out the window.  And, if you visited my classroom  that structure would be invisible....it would look like I was just playing with the kids.  
 
Which is really what I want. 

And you do, too, don't you?

Which of the arrangements of below do you prefer?


                                      


They all have good points, don't they?  The third one is very organized and you can really pick out the differences in the butterlies.   But it reminds me of school where much of the time is spent organizing and waiting in line.  The middle one is interesting, too. Perhaps it is the most realistic view of how butterflies move?  Or the most impressionistic?  The first one is like my class.  We are all different sizes, facing different ways, dancing around without bumping!

Which brings me to safety and rules.

Part of what I like about my job is that I am always going into new schools and programs.  One problem with that is I am not part of the staff and do not know all the rules of each community.   But I have found that keeping my rules simple usually covers the specifics of each site.  During the introduction section of my class I usually say:

   I have very simple rules:  not always simple to do... but definitely simple to remember:
   We don't touch people, we don't touch things

Often the children will start a litany of responses:  

       kids:     Like, we don't kick! 

       me:      Right, that would be touching someone...

       kids:     And we don't bite

       me:      Right, that would be touching someone...

     
After years of keeping it simple I believe the world would be a better place if we could just follow
 a few, simple to remember, if not always to do, rules .  


                                                                                      The Golden Rule would be a great start.