Random inclusion of dance activities and lack of curriculum consistency within and among school districts has resulted in a widening gap between philosophy and practice in dance education. Preparation of dance educators, the influence of an emerging national arts agenda, and curricular issues are discussed. (IAH)

A Hawaiian hula instructor describes how she teaches hula dancing to her students, explaining that there is no difference in how she shows them how to do something within or outside of the classroom. The article emphasizes the importance of students understanding and experiencing what they are being taught. (SM)

Several articles provide a theoretical overview of the Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) and describe its application. Rudolf Laban's work has many applications relevant to dance, physical education, recreation, and movement education. LMA involves training and refining how one perceives movement. It can help educators better understand students from…

Survey examined dance education for undergraduate physical education majors in programs nationwide, investigating dance forms taught, hours required, professional preparation, and instructional methods. Results indicated almost one-third did not offer dance education. Those which required it had a narrow range of dance forms and mandated very few…

A task force of college department heads and administrators determined that effective administrators possess specific competencies (personal traits, knowledge, management skills, organization theory, communication skills, and vision/future), many of which are best learned through specific courses of study. The article discusses the issue as it…

Physical education teachers enjoy the special privilege of guiding children to discover unique ways for expressing and communicating ideas, attitudes, thoughts, and emotions through movement. Creative dance lets children explore movement possibilities limited only by one's imagination. Individually and collectively, creative dance encourages…

The dance teacher is a central figure in the world of dance; the impact of the dance teacher on the career of a young dancer can be decisive. A dance teacher is more often than not described as authoritarian. The present study investigated the various dimensions of the dance teacher's behavior. To map the teacher's behavior, a dance-adapted…

Student attendance at national conventions can be an important part of professional growth. Faculty advisors and administrators can increase the quality of future HPERD professionals by making greater use of this resource. Taking students to a convention may appear a daunting task. However, establishing a systematic process may help create a…

The authors work in the most difficult conditions to create the most crucial art. In this article, the authors share their experience in teaching art at Devereux Deerhaven, a home for abused and neglected girls. They arrived at Devereux Deerhaven unprepared for the residents and the facility. Yet, they left educated about their students and the…

In this article, the author shares her experience in using online teaching and learning with students. She describes her journey that has continued from hesitant beginnings into what has almost become a life online. As a lecturer in Arts, the author was often faced with the threat of units being slashed because of low numbers. One such unit was an…

Performing arts courses at research institutions such as Harvard University are often seen as extracurricular with only tangential or imperceptible effect on students' academic interests. Yet, when this author interviewed biology, math, or neuroscience concentrators who took Claire Mallardi's "Movement for Actors and Directors" course at Harvard…

This essay discusses issues of cultural difference in dance studies and presents specific pedagogical strategies for engaging the students' embodied knowledge as a research tool in both historical and cross-cultural investigations. (Contains 2 notes.)

UK Higher Education Institutions are being required to reflect on the balance between academic and vocational aspects of their course provision and to identify more clearly how they are preparing their students for employment. This is not a simple matter. The UK arts and cultural sector is highly complex, with the characteristic features of a…

This paper examines two very different approaches to dance training, ballet technique and the somatic discipline of Topf technique ("TT"). It explores and evaluates the application of TT to ballet training. Initially, what is meant by the term "mind/body connection" is discussed, and then the paper examines, in a theoretical and a practical sense,…

This issue of "Journal for Learning the Arts: A Research Journal on Arts Integration in Schools and Communities" embodies the range of arts and learning possible in our schools and communities. The articles reflect the diverse landscape of arts education, including dance, poetry, visual arts, drama, music and media. Each author takes to…