Last time in my 'teacher biz' article we deconstructed the essentials for incorporating basic improvisation into your lesson plans and studio curriculum. As previously noted, with the continually increasing interest of improvisation within the private studio sector, this month I'd like to pass my reading list on to you to add to your own dance library! Wonderful resources to have on hand, you can also share with your students and faculty! Think about cross-referencing with other books in related categories including:
Postmodernism
Post Modern Dance
Judson Dance Theater
Steve Paxton
Contact Improvisation
Nancy Stark Smith
Merce Cunningham
Choreography Composition
Laban Analysis
Bartenieff Fundamentals
Somatics
Albright, A.C., Gere, D. (2003). Taken by surprise: A dance improvisation reader. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan Press.
Bayne, S. (1987). Terpsichore in Sneakers: Post-modern dance. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan Press.
Best, S. (1997). The postmodern turn. New York, NY: Guilford Press.
Burt, R. (2006). Judson Dance Theater: Performative traces. New York, NY: Routledge.
Buckwalter, M. (2010). Composing while dancing: An improviser's companion. WI: University of Wisconsin Press.
Foster, S.L. (2002). Dances that Describe Themselves: The improvised choreography of Richard Bull. Middletown, CT: Wesleyan Press.
Franklin, E. (1996). Dance Imagery for technique and performance. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
Goldman, D. (2010). I want to be ready: Improvised dance as a practice of freedom. MI: University of Michigan Press.
Kaltenbrunner, (2003). Contact improvisation: Moving, dancing, interaction: With an introduction to new dance, (2nd edition). Switzerland: Meyer & Meyer Verlag.
Minton, S. C. (1986). Choreography: A basic approach using improvisation. Chicago, IL: Human Kinetics.
Morgenroth, J. (1987) Dance improvisations. Pittsburgh, PA: University of Pittsburgh Press.
Nachmanovitch, S. (1990). Free play: Improvisation in life and art. New York, NY: Penguin Putnam
Novack, C. (1990). Sharing the Dance: Contact Improvisation and American Culture . WI: University of Wisconsin Press.
Reeve, J. (2011). Dance improvisations: warm-ups, games and choreographic tasks. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics.
With the abundance of information out there, keep in mind, there are tons of avenues to go when beginning to incorporate improvisation into your lessons! Go slow, take your own classes, become informed of the history and various styles, etc, and impart that knowledge onto your students. This will no doubt substantiate how valid and important improvisation is to dance technique in any idiom. Plus, you will be amazed to see what your students' instincts, bodies and movement vocabulary are naturally capable of! Good luck!
