Dance 261 - Dance Education Introduction

This course is an overview of the history, philosophy, and developmental curriculum of dance in education in the United States. Broader educational learning theories, such as Multiple Intelligence theory and Understanding by Design, and the development and implementation of national standards in dance will be covered. This course will also help the student develop skills in curriculum development in theory and practice, for elementary and secondary education, and stay current in dance education and advocacy work around the globe. Special topics such as working with learners with special needs, dance and social justice, perceptions of dance and dance education in terms of race, class and gender will be touched on.

Introduction to Dance Education provides a comprehensive theoretical and practical foundation in the major components of an inclusive and student-centered dance education for all learners. In this course students will:

Explore the components of the Dance Education Laboratory (DEL) model

Understand the philosophical and educational roots of dance education

Develop a rationale for dance education and be able to articulate the benefits of a dance education for all

Explore applied Laban Movement Analysis (LMA) as a framework for
lesson planning and dance making

Demonstrate how to use applied LMA to analyze and describe a range of dance forms

Understand developmental characteristics of different grade/age levels/abilities

Explore creative approaches to teaching dance technique

Design lesson plans following the DEL lesson plan format

Gain a baseline knowledge of state and national dance standards

Understand how to connect dance to other disciplines (ELA, history, science for example)

Observe local dance classes to reflect on effective teaching strategies and lesson planning

Identify and practice skills, strategies and methodologies that support inspired and effective teaching

Create meaningful and age-appropriate dance experiences for diverse populations within an inclusive and culturally responsive learning environment

Create a dance teacher?s toolkit of resources and effective teaching strategies

Reflect on one?s current teaching practice and articulate a teaching philosophy/pedagogy statement