Reflect on these goals, and about …
What surprised you?
During the observation of my practice, what surprised me, was how I should reiterate within each section, what our class objectives are for the duration of the time ballet class meets. For instance, during barre, my primary goal for my class is for students to acquire the technical foundation of ballet. As the course progresses to center-work, students practice how to execute and connect steps physically. My goal in this portion of the class is to introduce students to the idea of how a pairing of different movements can produce a dance phrase that expresses a statement.
During an adagio, for example, in the center-work, students practice their balletic technique learned at the barre. Simultaneously, engaging in their critical thinking skills, how to form melodious corporal expressions that will match the slower tempo selection of music. In this particular section of the class, I can detect and asses which students have learned the courses’ balletic terminology and who may need more practice. The center-work portion predominately aids students to practice building dance phrases that express intent, and the “art [of ballet is learned at this moment. Since the] art is more than just formal structures[; the acquisition of the technique.] It is how these structures are put into use. (Van Laar and Diepeveen, 1998, p.19).
As we move into choreography, my goal is for my students to utilize all their acquired balletic technique, treat it as a vocabulary to build an expression; tell a story through their bodies. Reflecting on how I may engage students further in this particular portion of the class, I reconsidered questions appropriate to our age group. Such as, “[who] will be the primary audience [that will] see the work?… questions that begin an honest direct[ion my students to] think [about] the meaning of their [choreographies] without imposing …values and purposes [that are not their own]” (Van Laar and Diepeveen, 1998, p.20). Questions such as these also reinforce and build importance amongst students in their selection of movements.
What issues or questions do you have about your practice?
One of the main issues within my practice I continuously reflect on is how welcoming my class is to all children wishing to practice the dance arts. Though I receive excellent remarks from my studio for engaging students with a varied selection of material, I had one of the most transformative experiencing reading Buffington (2019), Changing Practice: Culturally Sustaining Pedagogy. Where the author points a “useful [preparation practice] is [to] list the artists a teacher addresses each year and then determining how many people of color, women, [disability artists,] LGBTQ+ [are] from different parts of the world [jointly with,] looking around [one’s] physical classroom space and analyz[ing] the representation of artists... in posters and other objects on display” (p.24).
As a ballet instructor who’s dance studio is located in the heart of Los Angeles (one of the most diverse cities in the United States), my prime goal each year is to have a vast representation of teaching material. For, my students who may identify with a particular artist’s background may have an exemplarily visual of excelling performers in the field said student wishes to pursue. Most significantly, as a whole also, to expose my students to the extensive, diverse array of dance artists, companies, and choreographers who contribute to the Dance Arts.
Reviewing my lessons from past courses and my current ballet class, I acknowledge “changes [such as continuous evaluation and comparison of material I must have;] important steps [within my practice,] to become more culturally sustaining” (Buffington, 2019, p.24). The inclusion of all types of artists positively forces students to see how universal human conditions, such as emotions, are and how valuable the arts are as a means of expression. Which, sequentially articulates my chief goal stepping into choreography in the later part of our semester, how anyone can find a voice through the Dance Arts.
What patterns do you see?
One of the patterns I have become much more aware of through the observation process of my class has been how I may communicate challenging learning exceptions. For instance, and most prevalent in the center-work portion of the course is a pattern where I continuously demonstrate the combination. I follow a mimic-behavioral model where my “teaching process presents the student with models (combinations) to imitate while [my] students’ learning is discerned as new behavior noted in the learners’ repertoire” (Efland, 1990,p.4). I can perceive when terminology and strength are attained as students begin to develop a heightened sense of wanting to demonstrate. “When …students acquire the designated skills he or she [,] is rewarded by [showing the demo]” (Efland, 1990,p.4).
Communicating to my students that demonstrations are an expectation rather than a reward, I can maintain challenging learning exceptions from all. Utilizing our studio’s evaluation sheet, one of our top priorities is to always pay attention to every student equally as part of our goal to reinforce encouragement and promote self-esteem. In the center-work portion of the class, to evaluate the comprehension of terminology, I will state a combination, and students are asked to demonstrate. By randomly choosing students (though the acquisition of combinations may not be comprehended at first) is a great opportunity to ensure each student is actively participating at all times. More significantly, ensuring a universal understanding that there is no favoritism in class. As an instructor, this experience can also provide me with further awareness of what specific terms may be needing review by which particular student.
The center-work exercises are the foundation of my particular class, where students begin to assemble movements to form phrases. In the adagio, we analyze all the series of slower pace steps that are applicable to create an expression; in the Pettit allegro, series of faster-paced small jumps are grouped, and finally, in the grand allegro, we analyze the serious of steps that exhibit virtuosity.
During all the moments of center-work, I strive to prepare students to utilize their critical thinking what steps can function and can be grouped for the body to execute the movement to its full range of motion. The center work portion of the class is the stepping stone one becomes acquainted with choreography (the sequence of the many steps that will form an expression, idea, story, or convey an emotion). “All [the] moments of the art-making process are essential[,] for [the process of understanding how to express and find steps to do so is] the art [of dance]” (Van Laar and Diepeveen, 1998, p.14) and by rewarding the student to demonstrate a combination places more emphasis on the finished product itself. Then, all the integral moments where students begin the process on how to use movement to communicate their intention. May that be, a gentle adagio that may exhibit melancholy, a quick petit allegro that exudes joy, or a grand allegro that grandiosely expresses tremendous power.
From your observation, what are three things that you notice –
What is working?
Breaking off into small groups, although our class is performing a group choreography, has been the most effective change I have made to my practice. In the past, I would initiate the rehearsal process by commencing as a whole. In some instances, students, as a result, who may not be utilized for the opening scenes, would stretch in the sidelines until the opportunity to work with rose. Reflecting on how I could engage students in activities that continually foster learning, I conduct rotations where, though a student may not be cast for a particular section, they are involved in activities that utilize their choreographic skills. For example, a student will aid a fellow student to piece together their solos or unite with a group to choreographically assist that particular groups’ phrase.
Classroom activities such as these, use instructional time effectively, and continuously engage students in activities that foster critical thinking. Students are using class time to focus on all prior learning skills. More significantly, they are actively experiencing being a dancer in a piece, or strengthening their skills, taking on the role of choreographer. Another positive change has been classroom dynamics. As my students have gotten older, I have had to adapt to the physical necessities of my class size in regards to executing movement safely. Especially for my age groups that range from thirteen to eighteen years of age.
When groups may be working together, selecting steps, modifying movements, a ready to rehearse group may take the center floor to run their phrase and explore if their selection of moves is applicable. The groups of students in the back simultaneously create an environment that promotes fairness and respect as they take on the role of audience; as a class, we are practicing our behavior comes when we are in the theatre ready to perform.
What needs work?
What continues to be something each student in my class needs to work on is how to utilize their whole bodies to express themselves. Contrast to, focussing on the technical execution of the lower half of their limbs. As I reflected on my observations and those of my studios’ administration, I acknowledge how vital it has been throughout the process to set intension. To identify what our theme is at the beginning of each class and set small achievable goals, students can work on to progress in the additions to the selection of movements they add or wish to modify. For instance, during one particular encounter working with a solo, as a class, we had to identify what was being said during that particular phrase.
As Van Laar and Diepeveen (1998) eloquently states in Active sights: Art as social Interaction, “art is more than just formal structures [; the acquisition of technique]. It is how those structures are put into use” (p.19). The primary goal choreography class strives to emphasize is how students may utilize their acquisition of balletic techniques to create unique dance pieces. How they can create a physical expression to vocalize how they feel and share their stories contrast to movement merely accompanied to music.
To continue our journey to utilize movement to the fullest extent for students to express themselves, questioning what is the intention was significantly useful to begin and continue the process of exploration. Questions such as “who were they dancing for?” During a rehearsal or, “what are you trying to say with the step?” are two examples of how positively I was able to push understanding why the selection or sequence of movement is significant. For instance, a port de bras may not have the same visual impact as grand jeté (leap) to express overcoming an obstacle.
What needs to be changed?
The primary change that needs to be implemented in my choreography section is designated time for dialogue. Due to the windows of time classes are scheduled, from the moment the students step into the studio space, we begin warm-up. Progress to center work and now that the Spring session has commenced rehearsing the group dance-piece for our end of the year showcase. Dialogue organically happens in the course of a class. Still, I have realized how a designated discussion exchange may be necessary for each student to address their personal strengths or weaknesses that may need individual attention. I acknowledged, to understand the students’ strengths and weaknesses within a lesson, I must create a space where verbal exchange is designated so an exchange of ideas or concerns can be granted.
To monitor a student’s understanding of the video materials or phrases worked on as the weeks progress, I can ask a question towards the end of class so students individually can vocalize whatever questions our class hour may not have been able to cover. Taken from my own experience in the graduate program at The Ohio State, where Professor Dr. Ruth Smith asks a specific question regarding our progress, I worked with my dance administration to add a dance journal section (similar to homework activity). Where students can write down and reflect during the weekend. So when we regroup the first day back Mondays, address their particular questions. “Creating [take-home] assignments and then listening to students [initiates] the process of [having] a culturally sustaining education” (Buffington, p.24). As Buffington (2019) emphasizes, “dialogue [also] helps get to know students, know each other [;] …build their abilities to share their ideas and cultures with others” (p.24). More significantly, normalizing a dialogue exchange in dance class, “can build a sense of shared ownership and allow [my] students to create the classroom culture” (Buffington, 2019, p.24).
For instance, initially, to emphasize how one can use the body to express oneself, I integrated a recorded interview with famed prima absoluta, Alicia Alonso. Which touched on her perspective on how one could “take particular sounds [within the notes of music to] place the value of the head and arms because [one] doesn’t just dance with the legs, one dances with the whole body” (Alonso, 12:03). A moment to reiterate to my students how one dances with the body in its entirety, not just the lower limbs, was simultaneously an opportunity to “include an engagement with the social-political issue of ableism in art curriculum” (Eisenhauer, 2007, para.3). Alicia Alonso, who lost her sight at the hight of her career, continued to perform with some of the most accomplished choreographers such as Balanchine (who she spoke of addressing her trajectory working with him in the interview). I selected this particular artist because she rose to a position few women have held as Artistic Director of a National Ballet Company and who is a woman of color and represents a prominent cultural background of many of my students this particular session. “Questioning the sociopolitical construction of disability and related albeit ideologies[,]”(para.14) she was an artist who utilized her body to communicate, and through dance, she was able to express her self as I encourage my students to do so in their choreography (Eisenhauer, 2007).
As I communicated with my studio administration, I integrate a selection of interviews such as these to illustrate how within our group dance, the solos are a great opportunity to showcase the students’ individuality because within a piece the solos, “show the ballerina; the [her] personally” (Alicia, 4:57). Through a fanciful story the students chose to create, each student will personify an individual journey — illustrating, how as a group of young women, they find the strength within themselves and through the bonds as a class they have made. Our piece is a work in progress to show their community of friends and family how they see themselves and the growth they have made during their experience in ballet.
The importance of dialogue exchange was made most apparent when I questioned how they connected personally to the material I showed in class. Due to time, not every student had an opportunity to share their ideas verbally. Thus a take-home journal was an addition to the course; all students will be responsible for carrying into class to initiate exchange during the stretch portion of dance class. When mats are pulled to stretch, we can now have a designated time frame to speak and hear each other’s points of view and appreciate each other’s perspectives.
References
Buffington, M.L., & Bryant, A. (2019). Changing practice: Culturally sustaining pedagogy in art education. Art Education, 72(2), 20-25.
Efland, A. (1990, December). "Change in the conception of art teaching," Australian Art Education, 14, 2, 1-11.
Eisenhauer, J. (2007). Just Looking and Staring Back: Challenging Ableism through Disability Performance Art. Studies in Art Education, 49(1), 7-22.
Van Laar, T. and Diepeveen, L. (1998). Introduction. Active sights: Art as social interaction. Mountain View, CA: Mayfield Publishing Co. (1-21)
No comments:
Post a Comment