The way an individual learns is relative to the teacher and classroom environment. Teaching anything involves patience, courage, vulnerability, flexibility, and unconditional love. There is truth to believing that when a student is ready, a teacher will appear. Therefore, when we are eager to learn, we then notice knowledge that is constantly being reiterated before us. The art of dance education is an avenue for fulfilling the ideas of young students and helping them pursue their dreams in a healthy environment.
Dance is a universal language that is used to reach a variety of populations. This is accomplished by offering opportunities for enjoyment, a release of emotional energy, self-awareness, and character building. The teaching and the learning of dance encompass the precision of movement and artistry of communication. Integrating an equal practice of dance technique and liberal arts academia into elementary and secondary education can create balance between the mind and body in developing students. Additionally, by drawing somatic practices into a curriculum of dance training and academics students will gain skills of self-awareness. Movement subconsciously connects our body and mind without us realizing it. Transferring this efficient skill to young children will allow them to subconsciously translate kinetic energy to other areas of their lives. Erick Hawkins states the importance of mind and body connection and recognizing the physical and psychological manifestations of learning dance are to “think-feeling” (Brown, 1979). Through dance education, we begin to gain a sense of how we move and why we are prone to certain movement patterns.
The simplicity of dance places us in artistic interaction with others and with ourselves. Learning to balance the body and mind connection has been one of the most efficient skills in my personal development as a student and teacher. Keeping physically active lessens the probability of me keeping everything in a mental state. Resistance in integrating my mental and physical being affects in my teaching and learning. Movement is an excellent way for us to connect to our body and mind without even realizing it. Therefore, making dances serves as an excellent introduction as a physical form of function that has organic potential to evolve into creative movement.
Isadora Duncan states, “For me the dance is not only the art that gives expression to the human soul through movement, but also the foundation of a complete conception of life, more free, more harmonious, more natural” (Brown, 1979, p.9). It has become clear to me over time what my pursuits and intentions are for my future. I hope to carry the message to others that learning dance is rites of passage we can all participate in.