Can anyone answer this question?
Tue, 15 Apr 2003, 03:03 pmMegan10 posts in thread
Can anyone answer this question?
Tue, 15 Apr 2003, 03:03 pmWhat is it about a dance school that makes you want to attend?
That is the question....can anyone answer it?
That is the question....can anyone answer it?
MeganTue, 15 Apr 2003, 03:03 pm
What is it about a dance school that makes you want to attend?
That is the question....can anyone answer it?
That is the question....can anyone answer it?
Walter PlingeTue, 15 Apr 2003, 03:16 pm
Re: Can anyone answer this question?
The smell of the grease paint ,The 15 minuets of fame, the pleasure of being shouted at by a a dance school herrodin who makes you wear inappropriate costumes for a twelve year old and dance to ricky martin and aqua till you are ready to spew, whilst trying to live up to expectations of your mother who hopes you will succeed where she failed. "and remember I never had opportunites like this when I was your age!"
Thou loggerheaded full-gorged flap-dragon!
Thou loggerheaded full-gorged flap-dragon!
MeganTue, 15 Apr 2003, 03:24 pm
Re: Can anyone answer this question?
it sounds to me that you have had a bad experience!
Melissa MerchantTue, 15 Apr 2003, 04:29 pm
Re: Can anyone answer this question?
Nothing, absolutely nothing on this earth could entice me to attend a dancing school. A single semester 15 years ago has put me off for life. I decided I was a free spirit and therefore would never conform to a particular style of dance. I could not be constrained by set movements. That, and I could never remember the bloody dance steps and was usually falling over my feet while trying to watch what the perky little showoff in front of me was doing.
However, I have sisters who danced and I think what they liked most was structure. The lesson's had to be organised and they had to learn something new. You have to offer them what no other school can. Oh and they liked winning awards, that's very important. The more trophies you can offer your students, the happier they will be.
good luck
melissa
However, I have sisters who danced and I think what they liked most was structure. The lesson's had to be organised and they had to learn something new. You have to offer them what no other school can. Oh and they liked winning awards, that's very important. The more trophies you can offer your students, the happier they will be.
good luck
melissa
Walter PlingeTue, 15 Apr 2003, 07:53 pm
Re: Can anyone answer this question?
a dance school without rigidity and structure - i guess contemp dance. i wanna move my body and have no steps that i absolutely have to follow but my own
Thou mangled pottle-deep bugbear!
Thou mangled pottle-deep bugbear!
crgwllmsTue, 15 Apr 2003, 09:20 pm
Re: No, but anyone can attempt to
mikey wrote:
>
> a dance school without rigidity and structure - i guess
> contemp dance. i wanna move my body and have no steps that i
> absolutely have to follow but my own
There's actually quite a few of those around, although you must be over 18 to enter. Pick any nightclub, you can learn by watching and experimenting, follow your own groove and either follow the 'rules' or break them at will.
But if you're thinking of any sort of dance to be shown as a performance, I'm pretty sure they've all got discipline and structure. Even the contemporary dance styles that seem quirky or arhythmical would all require you to follow a rehearsal structure of learning the moves and repeating them on cue.
I taught a semester of drama classes for a dance school once, and I can understand where the cynicism in the above few posts has possibly come from; I really found very few of the dance students I observed had much sense of inventiveness or creativity in their dance, and the ones that did seemed to get by despite the general stuff the school was doing. But again, the majority of the students all enjoyed what they were doing: I just didn't find it terribly stimulating.
And I was perhaps spoiled by my original introduction to dance schools...an Education Department establishment in the mid eighties called 'Dance Clips' that I was involved with for several eisteddfodds, and collaborated with in my initial forays into physical theatre. The work I remember from those days was exciting and inventive.
So basically, I don't think you can tar all dance schools with the same brush and make a broad judgement, any more than you can for different theatre groups. Any training is likely to be valuable...even if only to teach you what doesn't work for you, and to encourage you to take the skills you find useful but travel your own path.
Cheers
Craig
[%sig%]
>
> a dance school without rigidity and structure - i guess
> contemp dance. i wanna move my body and have no steps that i
> absolutely have to follow but my own
There's actually quite a few of those around, although you must be over 18 to enter. Pick any nightclub, you can learn by watching and experimenting, follow your own groove and either follow the 'rules' or break them at will.
But if you're thinking of any sort of dance to be shown as a performance, I'm pretty sure they've all got discipline and structure. Even the contemporary dance styles that seem quirky or arhythmical would all require you to follow a rehearsal structure of learning the moves and repeating them on cue.
I taught a semester of drama classes for a dance school once, and I can understand where the cynicism in the above few posts has possibly come from; I really found very few of the dance students I observed had much sense of inventiveness or creativity in their dance, and the ones that did seemed to get by despite the general stuff the school was doing. But again, the majority of the students all enjoyed what they were doing: I just didn't find it terribly stimulating.
And I was perhaps spoiled by my original introduction to dance schools...an Education Department establishment in the mid eighties called 'Dance Clips' that I was involved with for several eisteddfodds, and collaborated with in my initial forays into physical theatre. The work I remember from those days was exciting and inventive.
So basically, I don't think you can tar all dance schools with the same brush and make a broad judgement, any more than you can for different theatre groups. Any training is likely to be valuable...even if only to teach you what doesn't work for you, and to encourage you to take the skills you find useful but travel your own path.
Cheers
Craig
[%sig%]
Walter PlingeWed, 16 Apr 2003, 09:37 am
Re: No, but anyone can attempt to
you are right craig any training is valuable and no not all dance schools are the same. There are some fantastic people out there who do some wonderful work. One school in particular that deals with mentally disabled adults does some fantastic work and every time I am bought to tears by the happy smiles on the faces of their eldery parents as they watch their son or daughter up there onstage despite all the odds.
And on the whole most kids enjoy their experience in a dance school but what makes me so cynnical about them is the treatment that is dished out to these kids who are there to learn and for fun and enjoyment by these people who call themselves professional teachers
I have witnessed some appalling things all because the teacher sees a performance as about their work and not that of the students.
Thou impertinent bat-fowling foot-licker!
And on the whole most kids enjoy their experience in a dance school but what makes me so cynnical about them is the treatment that is dished out to these kids who are there to learn and for fun and enjoyment by these people who call themselves professional teachers
I have witnessed some appalling things all because the teacher sees a performance as about their work and not that of the students.
Thou impertinent bat-fowling foot-licker!
crgwllmsWed, 16 Apr 2003, 05:25 pm
Re: Those who can't, ....?
walter plinge wrote:
>
> I have witnessed some appalling things all because the
> teacher sees a performance as about their work and not that
> of the students.
>
>
Unfortunately, yes! There have been several occasions during our school's tour of The Stones where classes were in progress as we were setting up for our performance. In some of these the students were playing improv theatre games, something which Sam and I know a fair bit about. It was sadly frustrating to see the classes being poorly handled, and in one case in particular, in a damaging way..! The kids love these types of games but they weren't learning or improving from them, and they were potentially being scarred from the inappropriate handling of their mistakes. We'd cringe at things that could've so easily been turned into valuable performance skill lessons, but were really just being treated as a time filler with no useful learning outcomes.
(Mind you, we've also seen some fantastic stuff out there, teachers!)
Walter Plinge may have hit on the crucial factor as to whether a school of any kind is of value or not...the focus must be on the needs of the students. Sometimes "putting on a play" or a dance concert is not the correct end product to be aiming for, if the students are not yet learning the appropriate skills and enjoying the process.
Cheers
Craig
[%sig%]
>
> I have witnessed some appalling things all because the
> teacher sees a performance as about their work and not that
> of the students.
>
>
Unfortunately, yes! There have been several occasions during our school's tour of The Stones where classes were in progress as we were setting up for our performance. In some of these the students were playing improv theatre games, something which Sam and I know a fair bit about. It was sadly frustrating to see the classes being poorly handled, and in one case in particular, in a damaging way..! The kids love these types of games but they weren't learning or improving from them, and they were potentially being scarred from the inappropriate handling of their mistakes. We'd cringe at things that could've so easily been turned into valuable performance skill lessons, but were really just being treated as a time filler with no useful learning outcomes.
(Mind you, we've also seen some fantastic stuff out there, teachers!)
Walter Plinge may have hit on the crucial factor as to whether a school of any kind is of value or not...the focus must be on the needs of the students. Sometimes "putting on a play" or a dance concert is not the correct end product to be aiming for, if the students are not yet learning the appropriate skills and enjoying the process.
Cheers
Craig
[%sig%]
MeganThu, 17 Apr 2003, 11:55 am
Re: Those who can't, ....?
Thankyou for all comments made.
As i am only 21 yrs old, i'm hoping to start a dance school that will encourage all students to give creative input and offer opportunities where needed.
When i was at a dance school i wanted to offer my ideas, but was unable to. I choreographed for two years with no recognition; i don't want this for my students.
I think being apart of a dance studio should give you the opportunity to expand your knowledge and feel that any input is encouraged and followed through.
As i am only 21 yrs old, i'm hoping to start a dance school that will encourage all students to give creative input and offer opportunities where needed.
When i was at a dance school i wanted to offer my ideas, but was unable to. I choreographed for two years with no recognition; i don't want this for my students.
I think being apart of a dance studio should give you the opportunity to expand your knowledge and feel that any input is encouraged and followed through.