A four-component aiming movement was used to examine the relative effectiveness of part and whole practice. Following a pretest, participants were assigned to one of three practice groups. Participants in a "Whole" group practiced the four components together as a unit. A "No Overlap" group practiced the first two and last two components of the…

This article describes the three fundamental strategic principles--to be curricular, developmental, and democratic--that have been designed and implemented in the Mamaroneck High School's integrated arts program, a four-year, sequential, elective program that includes dance, theater, and music. An explanation of the ways in which the dance…

For philosopher Gilles Deleuze, the work of philosophy consists of affirmatively and artistically creating and reworking concepts in response to real-life problems in an ongoing process that invites new perspectives and ways of thinking. Carol Matthews's music composition pedagogical practices reflect these processes, arguing that they demonstrate…

This study examines the cognitive experiences of children as they engage in creative projects in both dance and poetry. The data includes interviews with fifth graders from an elementary School in Bucks County, Pennsylvania, about their lived experience of writing poetry and creating dances. Students interviewed for this study participated in a…

Authoritarian teaching practices in ballet inhibit the use of private speech. This paper highlights the critical importance of private speech in the cognitive development of young ballet students, within what is largely a non-verbal art form. It draws upon research by Russian psychologist Lev Vygotsky and contemporary socioculturalists, to…

In recent years, Problem Based Learning (PBL) has been applied in medical and psychological areas of professional education. The PBL approach requires students to move past traditional choreographic methods toward making dances informed by real-world issues. In PBL, students work cooperatively to solve complex problems. Rather than being presented…

The purpose of this study was to identify characteristics and responsibilities of health, physical education, recreation, and dance administrators at colleges and universities with 10,000 or more students. Participating were 136 administrators who responded to a questionnaire regarding educational background, nature of position, and five…

Laban Movement Analysis is a system that helps dancers recognize and define the variety of elements that make up the movement event. This is not a method of teaching a movement style, but provides a means for creative expression. (DF)

Discusses the great diversity and lack of consistency in dance teacher preparation and certification programs, examining K-12 licensure (state certification, vocational certification, and endorsement); certification of private studios and schools of dance (certification and registry); current progress toward certification; and the five-phase…

Through its emphasis on sensory awareness and aesthetic experience, creative dance can help provide depth, richness, and texture to preschool children's understanding and discovery of the world. (CB)

This paper explores how a dance scholar's experience in dance is represented in her educational research. Discussion covers perceptions of art, body-mind dualities in schools and educational practice, the process and products of research and choreography, and crafting the choreography of research. (JB)

Discusses the problem of stress and the performing artist. Suggests the need for programs, attitudes, demands, and lives that balance personal well-being with professional endeavors. (SR)

Summarizes results of an interpretive study exploring how students in one high school subject (dance) made sense of their experience. Most participants found school restrictive and uncaring. Feelings about a subject were closely connected to students' feelings about the teachers. Dance permitted more positive relationships with teachers and…

Based on the author's experience as a teacher in a Bachelor of Fine Arts (BFA) program, the author offers some ideas to ease the transition from the private studio to a BFA professional preparatory program. As a teacher in the Ailey School and Fordham University BFA program, the author has seen many students work their way through this challenging…

This paper traces an experience of designing and conducting qualitative research in dance education. The primary aim is to highlight the importance of giving consideration to research methodologies in the emergence of personal research practice. Making decisions about what method/s to use will ultimately direct the engagement with any study,…