Changing Ways

It is really quite astonishing to see how much my research project has already influenced my professional practice. I have seemingly picked up these tried and tested ways to use teaching and choreography skills and applied them to my work.

I've noticed how I am now demonstrating what I want rather than constantly breaking it down. This helps the students and children to see what the choreography is supposed to look like. Also I am using filming to help improve my work, in terms of creating and remembering a dance as occasionally I have a lot to remember. Writing it down takes time, filming seems far more efficient. The senior girls have been filmed so they may watch themselves and see where they are not together in time. I have also appeared more confident with creating movements with the dancers if necessary, rather than beforehand. For example, I was teaching in another school today, the class got further than I had expected with a piece of jazz choreography for a show. So I used my initiative and continued the dance and noticed what looked good. Before, I was not very confident with this skill as I felt under pressure, but today we achieved quite a lot and the school Principal turned up and really loved the dance so far, so much that she would like to use it in a public show coming up! Good news!

Monkey Time! Survey Time!

If you would be so kind as to complete the entirety of my survey pilot which has been created for PROFESSIONAL DANCERS on the subject of learning choreography. Thank you very much your time and effort is appreciated especially as lots of us are creating them right now!

Click here to take survey

Any extra feedback on the survey would also be appreciated, as it no doubt will have flaws. It took three sittings to get it to this stage, as I had to return to what I actually wanted to find out and delete the pointless questions I had entered.

Anyway, thank you x

The 100 Words (ish) Topic Idea, Comments Please!

I know that I enjoy and feel passionately about CHOREOGRAPHY and TEACHING DANCE, so this is problem number one solved of not getting bored during this project. I also know that I want this degree to continue with a PGCE later on in my career, therefore my topic should be education related.

If I were to do a project on "the most effective methods of teaching a class a choreography/dance routine" then this could potentially benefit myself as a teacher/choreographer, the classes I teach, the schools I teach for and also other teacher/choreographers. (Note; this title will need redrafting so it is accurate to what I research)

I would use an age group that I regularly teach, though this will bring ethical and parental permission issues. I teach students over 16, but not as many.

There is already lots of information about how to teach dance, but not specific to choreographers, which is where my research might strike.

• I could look at successful past/present choreographers and find out details of how they worked to achieve results.

• I could take surveys/interviews of dancers on how they believe they learn best with choreography.

• I could experiment with different processes and observe which works best.

• I could observe other teachers and how they work with their classes.

• I could interview choreographers and teachers.

So many options! Too many? Useful? Pointless? Does this interest anyone else or just me? Comments if you would please.....

Psychology of Dance

I have found this book/website particularly useful in teaching dance.

Take a look

http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=XuhUrxeswIQC&lpg=PP1&dq=psychology%20of%20dance&pg=PP1#v=onepage&q=&f=false


It looks at topics such as motivation and confidence of your dancers and how to improve and understand it.