One of the greatest gifts that we, as teachers, can give our students is to show them how to have an open and curious mind forever. Too often students only skim the surface in their classes and never really fully understand the scope of what they are learning. Almost always when dance history is mentioned there is either a complete disinterest in the subject or, at best, a lukewarm reception given to the whole idea of it. I like to try to find ways to interest my students in what went before them and how it can be of help to them in their futures.
As in world affairs, the experiences from prior times are essential to not only understanding, but also learning from the great talents and minds of people who decided our future. So it is in dance. We are able to not only learn from our predecessors, but also be inspired by what they were able to achieve. Most dancers have very limited knowledge of any dance history and usually no interest. So our job is to bring to life these people who contributed so much to making dance what it is today in the eyes of our young students. In a way we are very fortunate because there is so much data available to us at the click of a mouse and it always amazes me that at a time when it is so easy to gain information that so few access it.
For this coming season I have made a new plan to help with this problem. I have chosen nine illustrious dance personalities and I plan to feature one a month. I will ask all students 12 and over to join in with my plan. The student who gains the most knowledge about these nine individuals will be offered a scholarship to a prestigious summer program. Each month there will be a different prize awarded to the student who not only makes the best presentation, but also shows that he or she really knows their stuff. Yes, there is a little bribery involved, but the bribes are ones that will be very positive for them. Here is the list that I plan to use this coming season:
1) Vaslav Nijinsky Russian Ballet Dancer September
2) Matt Mattox American Jazz Dancer October
3) Gene Kelly American Tap Dancer November
4) Margot Fonteyn English Ballet Dancer December
5) Katherine Dunham American Modern Dancer January
6) George Balanchine Russian Ballet Dancer February
7) Jerome Robbins American Jazz Dancer March
8) Rudolph Nureyev Russian Ballet Dancer April
9) Alvin Ailey American Contemporary Dancer May
Most were known for their choreography as well as for being dancers, which will add another dimension to the exercise.
Of course, next year there will be more names of wonderfully talented dancers and how they have been instrumental in making dance a truly living art. Mainly I tried to have a diverse list for them to explore.
I have always enjoyed reading biographies and there are some really good ones on these particular individuals. Below is a list of either books or DVDs about these nine individuals that I will recommend as part of the process.
- The Diary of Vaslav Nijinsky
- Matt Mattox Book of Jazz Dance
- Gene Kelly – Anatomy of A Dancer –DVD
- Margot Fonteyn Autobiography
- Katherine Dunham, Pioneer Of Black Dance
- Balanchine, George Balanchine DVD
- Somewhere, The Life of Jerome Robbins
- Nureyev, An Autobiography with Pictures
- Ailey Ascending, A Portrait in Motion
All of these are worth looking at and I have found them to be a true inspiration not only for classes, but also for my own choreography. The interesting thing is that it shows that dancers are all the same. Some rise to the highest levels and some are in the chorus, but at heart they all have the same passion for dance. All of these sensational dancers and choreographers had something special to offer the world and to touch their hearts in a way that only can happen through dance. What a wonderful legacy we are responsible for and whether our students grow up to be professional dancers or teachers or just good audiences, we have completed our work and have opened up a bigger perspective for these students in life and dance.