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Creative Dance: Inner and Outer Space

Ideally, the space for dance instruction should combine "a stimulating design in terms of imagery and process; a performative play on inner and outer space; the individual and collective experience and emotional transformation" (Schorn, Land, Wittmann 56). However, depending on the setting, private vs. public, the space for dance instruction could present challenges. Because, Methods of Teaching Dance frames dance as a creative art activity, so will be the approach when the space does not comply with conventional standards. The instructor's creative abilities can transform any space into a dance space.

This first class of the Spring 2018 semester, the students were introduced to the preparation of their inner space, before he/she enters the outer dance space. Through meditation, warm ups, breathing exercises and or self affirmations, the dance instructor sets the mood that will accompany him/her as he/she enters the outer space. The outer space is the physical area where the class will take place, but it is also the macro space: the school building, the neighborhood, the city, the county, the state, the country, the world, the universe. 

The outer space can be enhanced through the creation of sensory stimuli such as color, sound, textures, and smell, The activation of the space takes place by providing the necessary interplay between inner and outer spaces through movement metaphors.  These metaphors are the content of individual and collective experiences designed by the instructor, but also uttered by the students. The emotional transformation that takes place as a result of embodying ideas, images and metaphors contributes to develop a creative dancer and a better human being.

Activity

The students were asked to write about their ideal dance studio.

Joe, Patricia, Briana, Angel, Sara, Jasmyne, Jordan, Kyla, Reece, 
Keiko, Ruqayah, Adriana, Jenny, Saskia, Camila, Ellen, Rawan

My Ideal Dance Studio

By Sara St. Juste

My ideal dance studio would have kids of all ages and races ready to learn. The dance studio would be wide enough to have kids improvise whenever they feel moved to so. My dance studio will include all forms of dance such as: ballet, hip-hop, modern, top, etc. Also, everyone would be disciplined when it is time to learn, but be willing to express themselves freely. The dance studio will be a private, low cost place for students to freely dance. It would have high windows through which the sun would barely light up the dance room. The floors would be hollow wood floors, to make it easy for them to move around. The music would play from a typical stereo that can be heard no matter where you are in the room. The students would wear leggings with tight fitted shirts or leotards allowing them to freely elongate their bodies. Overall, this dance studio will be open to all levels of dance, both technical and non-technical

References

Schorn, Ursula, Ronit Land and Gabriele Wittmann.  Anna Halprin: Dance - Process - Form.  Jessica Kingsley Publishers, 2014 

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