Dance Educating vs. Dance Training
In our last article we looked at the requirements and certification protocol to becoming a dance teacher in the public school K-12 setting. We also discussed Masters programs offering this certification, what the course load entails and the necessary fieldwork hours and certification tests required state-to-state. This month we shift focus to understanding the difference between dance education and dance training so you can incorporate and combine both concepts into your studios curriculum to cultivate a cohesive program.
Dance Education And Dance Training So what is the difference?
In the simplest terms, dance education, most often seen within the K-12 setting, offers a child the opportunity for dance appreciation and a solid arts education, one where the emphasis lies on the childs creative process and creation. While technique is offered and incorporated as part of the Do, Know, Create, Perform Learning Standards, the goal of public school dance programs are less focused on the idea of creating technical dancers, and more on the idea of educating the whole child by: introducing dance history exposing students to various dance genres teaching them how to identify, look at and critique famous masterworks how to use dance as a vehicle for interdisciplinary subjects introducing students to their community and cultural diversity through dance. Most importantly, again, is the emphasis for the child to take this knowledge and develop their own creative works to expand higher order thinking skills, develop aesthetic, find individual artistic voice and encourage peer interaction through collaboration and constructive feedback. Because many public school students will not go on to become professional dancers, what dance education aims to do is create an ongoing knowledge and appreciation for the artform that may in fact lead to jobs in the art field, future avid theatergoers or just more well-rounded, arts educated individuals. Dance education ultimately strives to enrich the overall advancement of a students well-being and provides students the outlet to create their own art and release the stresses of their scholastic and private lives.
Dance education also provides a special environment where there are no wrong answers. Students can move freely and fall in love with the artform. It is important to be mindful of the fact that when your dance students come to you and tell you they receive dance in their schools, unless attending a performing arts or private school, they are most likely receiving this type of dance education based curriculum where technique is probably not the main component to their study. However, I know plenty of dance educators who do feel as though the technique aspect should be further addressed and make it a point to integrate it as much as they can within their own programs, pending studio space, school mission, and curriculum guidelines.
Conversely, dance training is most often what we see in the studio setting. Essentially, the focus is on dancers technical facility, to develop the physical characteristics necessary for them to attain professional dance careers and/or become proper dance technicians and engaging performers for however long their dance career endures. Traditionally, dance training has involved a more do and follow method, with less emphasis on the self-creating component as training engages in the developmental progression of a dancers technique.
What is important to take into consideration when building your studios curriculum is how the culmination of these two ideas can work together and will support the idea of your students becoming smart dancers who transcend mere accurate execution of choreographed steps by acquiring knowledge and full understanding of the craft. The basic concept, 5,6,7, 8, is the easy part. A students full potential can be achieved by understanding dance in its entirety: body mechanics, dance history, critique, individual creation, classroom etiquette, performance, musicality and more. Imagine the significance for those who do as well as those who dont go on to professional careers. Integrating dance training and education will inevitably produce technically proficient dancers who understand not only what and how to perform something but why as well. Ultimately, these students will be ahead of the curve by having the advantage of knowing the physical as well as academic and creative aspects of the dance form, whether they are dancing on the stage or viewing it as our future dance aficionados.
Next month: Our final article in the K-12 series focuses on lesson plan ideas for using interdisciplinary academic subjects as prompts for student choreography.
