This research highlights a K-5 dance artist-in-residence as a form of democratic and exemplary dance education that ignited collaboration, promoted equity, fostered student autonomy, and demonstrated rigor in school curriculum. Through examining observation, interview, and performance-based data and calling upon critical, democratic education…

Classical ballet technique is commonly taught through the use of authoritarian practices and normalizing aesthetic values, but the construction of the ballet dancer as a docile subject in opposition to an all-knowing instructor might impede ballet's progression. In this article I explore my development of a feminist or democratic ballet…

As teachers of the arts we are committed to nurturing the creative potential of all our students. We value process and want to inspire young artists to find their unique voices. But do we? Habitual models of teaching, along with external pressures in the settings in which we teach--including pursuing models and language of "best…

This article examines assessment of "intangible" concepts in dance education such as creativity, risk, originality, or artistic thinking. Through the development of assessment workshops for arts educators, conducted from 2009 through 2011 across the state of Illinois and supported by the Illinois Arts Council, the authors developed a clear model…

When children create dances using their ideas, they are empowered to explore their thoughts, feelings, and perspectives. Through dance, they bring their inner self to the surface where they can express their dreams, fears, needs, and joys. Dance educators need to support children's ideas and trust the children's creative process, especially when…

The article discusses choreographer Liz Lerman's work with clergy, faith practitioners, and communities in the merging of religious themes with dance. Throughout the article, Lerman raises questions and provides answers that address her investigation of the power of creativity, prayer, ritual and performance, as well as artistry, spirituality,…

University courses preparing elementary education majors to incorporate creative movement into their teaching methodology are becoming requirements in many schools of education around the country. The article addresses three questions pertinent to preparing upcoming teachers: 1. How can pre-service generalist teachers develop an appreciation of…

Re-Education classrooms are self-contained and tightly organized, to meet the unpredictable challenges of daily school life. It is typical to observe children hitting, kicking, spitting, crying or shutting down completely while lessons are being taught. Teachers, in turn, are required to physically restrain a child if he might cause injury to…

Within the Western fine arts tradition of concert and theatrical dance, new dances may be created in any number of ways. No matter how dance making begins, however, unless the work is to be improvised afresh each time it is performed, a process of developing, revising, and "setting" the work needs to take place. To move confidently and…

Traditional composition classes teach the tools of choreographic craft, yet leave students in an odd limbo in which they create a special breed of "college dance" that has little to do with the current dance world. In the twenty-first century, choreography teachers must go beyond an emphasis on traditional craft and help students find their own…

In many dance composition courses, creative production is the objective; movement invention and novelty are praised. Yet often this valuing of creativity is not reflected in the course design. Historically, the basic methodology for dance composition is a show-and-tell model: present the movement study, then critique it. If creativity is truly…

In this article, the author talks about the Partnership for 21st Century Skills, a growing and leading advocacy organization that is focused on transforming teaching and learning in the new century. The Partnership brings together the business community, education leaders, and policymakers to define a powerful vision for 21st-century education and…

For many years, the author has incorporated creative process into the way she teaches ballet class. The author shares the philosophical, practical, and artistic reasons for the creative process in ballet classes. She also shares the rationale and how this practice developed over time.

In 2001, North Carolina Dance Theatre, The University of North Carolina at Charlotte, and the Charlotte-Mecklenburg School system joined forces to create a multidimensional, professional development program for dance professionals (teachers and artists) in the public schools called, The Dance Educator Enrichment Program (DEEP). DEEP was designed…

Good teaching, at its core, is an intuitive practice. It is an art and craft in which, through vision, objectives, and planning, a teacher prepares for the teaching moment. Experienced teachers know that lesson plans and pre-planning though, no matter how finely crafted, only point the teacher and the student in a direction. As artist-educators…