Monday 23rd September 2013
Just a few quotes from 'The Student Dancer' that have caught my attention so far:
Buckroyd talks about dancers "ignoring pain or discomfort"
(Introduction, p.g. 15)
"..by ignoring her own pain or tiredness or hunger...our problem student demonstrates how little she has internalised the capacity to take care of herself..."
(The Emotional Uses of Dance Training, p.g. 43)
"Dance is a universal and powerful instrument for the enhanced expression of feeling"
(Physicality, Dance Training and the Sense of Self, p.g. 31)
"She will be hungry for feedback and encouragement, for ideas, information and images"
(The Emotional Uses of Dance Training, p.g. 37)
"The student at a vocational school has an extremely busy life."
(Adolescence and Professional Dance Training, p.g. 63)
"Truly effective teachers are realistically positive, supportive and enthusiastic"
(The Dance Teacher, p.g. 67)
"We prepare them by providing a supportive and encouraging environment"
(The Dance Teacher, p.g. 75)
There are many many more but I thought I would share a few from my reading so far. I am really enjoying reading words from some one who I see eye to eye with in regards to vocational training and how it should be compared to the reality. She has interesting thoughts on the behaviour of the dance teacher themselves, not something I have previously looked into much depth but it is all adding more questions into my mind and creating more fuel for module 3.
The two in red are those that I feel most strongly about from the list. During my personal training, I did indeed ignore pain and therefore never allowed myself to fully recover. I was and am aware of many others that did and do the same through out their training.. this then stays with them during their dance careers, often cutting them short due to their bodies not being able to handle any more.
I like the use of 'realistically' that Buckroyd has used.. in the real world, the majority of teachers are not positive and enthusiastic, often they can be supportive but I really feel the need and importance of creating an exciting and happy environment for all students to train in and it is the teacher's responsibility to do so.
Hi Emily,
ReplyDeleteA question I found myself asking from reading your blog,
Do you think that the approach the dance teacher has to the students training, for example, by developing the sense of value and encouraging/ supporting personal development, might help the student to take more care of herself during times of emotional and physical injury? Or, to put it another way, If the student is viewed as a person rather than as a machine to be trained, corrected and improved upon, will this encourage them to place more priority on healthy practice and taking care of themselves?
My inquiry reading, so far, has lead me to think that by motivating the student through placing value on their whole being can create a healthier attitude to all aspects of dance training.
I'd love to know your thoughts...
S
Hi Sarah,
DeleteYes I do feel that personal development as an adult human being, not just as a dancer, is vital during the student's training and I feel that yes, the teacher should be able to help support this.
Students are undergoing various life strains such as puberty, relationships etc along side their dance training.
A teacher dealing with their students as 'people' not 'machines' would allow them to act and feel human, be comfortable in talking about human emotions and would give the students a sense of normality inside the studio. Creating this feeling inside the studio will let students develop it outside too where they act their normal selves and create a sense of who they are.
With doing this, the students may feel less pressured to ignore injury and any problems and realise that we are human and our body is our key tool. By not taking care of it, especially in dance, we must face the consequences later in life.
Emily
Hi Emily,
DeleteI think it all has to do with the holistic approach to all learning; we can't hope to engage or inspire students if we ony seek to push information and skills onto them - like paint onto a canvas. It might be possible to pass exams this way - by doing enough to get by - but it's not really learning or development just learning by rote and without drawing on the individual's strengths and passions.
Already, from the literature I have read, has my professional practice been changed. Yes, the pressures and stresses of achieving examinations and good grades is still there but I am definitely giving more opportunity for the individual's input and needs too; the new knowledge I have gained this last few weeks hasn't altered my basic desires of inclusion, goal-setting and value-placing but it has given me greater skill in finding ways and means to incorporate this into the finite time-frame of the dance class.
S