The Excellent Instructor and the Teaching of Dance Technique

With this one-of-a-kind book, dance instructors will develop the confidence and professionalism to quickly and easily go from being a good teacher to a great one, and gain the skills needed to skyrocket their careers.

How do teachers create a classroom environment that promotes collaborative and inquiry-based approaches to learning ballet? How do teachers impart the stylistic qualities of ballet while also supporting each dancer’s artistic instincts and development of a personal style? How does ballet technique education develop the versatility and creativity needed in the contemporary dance environment? Creative Ballet Teaching draws on the fields of Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis (L/BMA), dance pedagogy, and somatic education to explore these questions. Sample lesson plans, class exercises, movement explorations, and journal writing activities specifically designed for teachers bring these ideas into the studio and classroom. A complementary online manual, Creative Ballet Learning, provides students with tools for technical and artistic development, self-assessment, and reflection. Offering a practical, exciting approach, Creative Ballet Teaching is a must-read for those teaching and learning ballet.

Dance Anatomy is a visually stunning presentation of more than 100 of the most effective dance, movement, and performance exercises, each designed to promote correct alignment, improved placement, proper breathing, and prevention of common injuries.

Dance Teaching Methods and Curriculum Design, Second Edition, presents a comprehensive model that prepares students to teach dance in school and community settings. It offers 14 dance units and many tools to help students learn to design lesson plans and units and create their own dance portfolio.

Teaching dance is an activity that is both a rigorous discipline which involves many years of study and a deeply personal expression. Throughout the years, from the time I first encountered the Spectrum, I've realized more and more what an amazing pedagogical tool it is for dance as an art form. The Spectrum will help dance teachers address many issues, including the following: - For the beginning teacher, "Did I meet my objectives? How can I judge how well I did?" - For the advanced teacher, "How can I encourage initiative and make students more self-motivated?" - For the college or university teacher, "How do I help my colleagues in other disciplines (and administration) understand dance as an academic discipline? What do I put in my tenure and promotion portfolio?" - For teachers with adult beginner classes, "How do I introduce my adult learners to basic movement material without 'teaching down' to them, to recognize their cognitive level and maturity?" - For teachers in private studios, "How can I teach so that I reach every student, keep students coming back for more classes, and thus keep enrollment (and my business) up?" - When teaching large classes, "How can I provide feedback for every student in the class and still keep the class moving?" Whether you are facing a class of students for the first time or are an experienced teacher, whether you teach children or adults, whether in a recreational setting or college, you will find useful information here. Supported by illustrations, examples, sample lesson plans, criteria sheets, activity suggestions and discussion questions, this work is designed for use as a textbook for student teachers and a resource for the professional teacher. It includes practical tips and application suggestions, with additional material downloadable from the author's website.

A guide to the principles of dance and training developed by Lester Horton. It includes a foreword by Alvin Ailey, reminiscences of early Lester Horton technique by Bella Lewitzky, and a three-dimensional portrait of the life and work of Lester Horton by Jana Frances-Fischer.