Feedback is one of the most important aspects of improving performance because it corrects, reinforces, and motivates. It can also create bonds and enable students to see that their performance is important. This article defines feedback, presents three important functions of feedback, identifies the four forms of feedback, gives examples of…

In this article, the author talks about Motif Notation, a means of creating, recording, and reflecting on dance experience, and dance making as educational partners in an urban middle school. The author shares partial tales of middle school-aged children engaging in dance making and Motif Notation which illustrate the fact that teens need to…

This article describes the school-wide support behind an arts-infused dance curriculum at the Linwood A+ Elementary School. The "A+" stands for "arts plus academics." Linwood A+ Elementary School is based on this model, an approach to teaching and learning that infuses the arts into the whole curriculum. It is a vision of arts-infused teaching and…

This article explores the art form of dance as a metaphor for the teaching of theology. Employing the work of Maria Harris, the author contends that there are seven elements of dance than can serve as metaphors for teachers of theology: preparation, rhythm, movement, expectancy, response, embodiment, and performance. Each dance element is…

The author talks about the benefits of dance education in the middle school setting. The author describes a scene in a dance classroom where all students can be successful, for within the confines of the space, a broad spectrum of learning preferences are addressed and multiple intelligences are acknowledged and validated. The author stresses that…

In the past three years, the author has taught yoga classes to students at the Pioneer Valley Performing Arts Charter Public School, in addition to her job as Dance Director. This school already is an open environment; the students are generally interested in the arts and the Pioneer Valley in Massachusetts is known for its…

In the dance studio, the mirror can play a large role in the dancer's learning process. Research on learning and memory shows that reducing the amount of feedback during training enhances long-term motor skill retention and that more externally focused attention may aid performance. Research testing the effectiveness of training with a mirror as a…

The Brazilian martial art, "capoeira", is popular in many countries outside Brazil, including the UK. "Capoeira" is generally taught by Brazilians whose livelihood depends on recruiting and retaining enough paying customers to keep their classes economically viable and socially pleasurable for the students. The teachers also…

Learning to move and moving to learn are vital aspects of every child's growth and development. Physical therapists and educators have consistently advocated the importance of being involved in a range of movement activities and games. Movement can provide an avenue for learning and interaction with others and can be linked to language and…

This paper focuses on Slovenia's arts and cultural education. The Ministry of Education and Sport is responsible for laying down the aims for cultural and creative dimensions of education. Concerning the creation of the curriculum related to culture and creativity (both within education) and the arts curriculum, most curricular decisions are made…

This paper provides the outline of a session in dance at the annual meeting of the American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation, and Dance. The purpose of the session was to provide an opportunity to celebrate individual differences while learning new skills for lifelong leisure activity through an English dance form known as…

This directory presents listings of programs of professional training in dance from 166 colleges and universities in the United States. A listing of 66 Performing Arts High Schools is also included. Lists include degrees offered, undergraduate and gradute courses offered, and performing groups active on campuses. The names and ranks of faculty and…

This article describes a teaching improvement process from the perspectives of a dance instructor and a teaching consultant who worked collaboratively. Several strategies to improve course organization and student assessment are introduced, and the effects of these strategies on the instructor and students are discussed. (MT)

The state of Colorado has set forth six content standards for dance education in its public schools: (1) students will understand and demonstrate dance skills; (2) students will understand and apply the principles of choreography; (3) students will create, communicate, and problem solve through dance; (4) students will understand and relate the…

Describes the history of the Philadelphia (Pennsylvania) Dance Company, known as PHILADANCO, founded in the early 1970s by Joan Myers Brown at her Philadelphia School of Dance. PHILADANCO has sought to discover and train a corps of local Black dancers to build a strong dance company and important cultural institution. (AF)