By Sabine Howe, Physical Education Specialist
Learning, thought, creativity, and intelligence don’t just come from the brain alone, but from the entire body. Movement combinations increase memory, order, and sequencing skills. Creating dances also increases self-esteem which is so very important to learning. We already witness the need for children to move throughout the day. Having experienced first hand the positive effects that music and dance have on students’ development, I feel it is important for dance to be included in all elementary (and secondary) curricula.
There are so many reasons why dance is important to the health and development of our young people. Above all, children need to move! Any way to get kids moving on their feet is a must (especially in a digital era). Dance burns calories, strengthens muscles, improves balance, increases flexibility, and gives the heart a good workout. Dance has also been proven to increase cognitive development. Current research documents the importance of exercise on the brain and supports what dancers have always known – the body and mind are connected in vital ways.
Utilizing dance in academics also helps children develop skills that are necessary for learning such as creativity, communication, critical thinking, and collaboration. Through the creative process, students are encouraged to use their imagination, collaborate with their peers to solve problems, and discover multiple solutions to challenges.
It is because of these reasons that I have chosen to incorporate music and dance into every PE program here at MCS. The elders are so happy to hear fun music and move their bodies! I have found that they learn steps and rhythms extremely quickly. By the time the children get to Lower Elementary, Upper Elementary, and then to the Adolescent Community, although their taste in music might change, they are still incredibly happy to move their feet. Also, their repertoire of dance numbers is quite amazing! Some children chose to create their own dances, and this is always a joy to watch. My hope is that all of our children and young adults never lose their desire to play music and just dance!
I’ve always been of the mindset that basic steps, when danced at a high level, are more beautiful in many ways than the advanced, dynamic choreography everyone seems to strive for. The understanding of movement and the control needed to perform them well are much more involved than many of the fancy steps. Yet too many dancers are so impatient to push their choreography that they never take the time to develop their basics.
As a result of the coronavirus lockdowns that are shuttering our dance schools, we’ve been spending a lot of time studying technique and one video from The Camp back in 2017 struck an especially strong chord with me.
The Camp is an annual multi-day dance camp held in Wuppertal, Germany. Considered by many to be the best of its type in the world, The Camp features some of the best coaches in the WDSF. I’ve never had the pleasure of being able to attend, but thankfully they post a number of their lectures online for free access, to benefit the worldwide dance community.
Most of the lectures are outstanding and worth reviewing time and time again. But today I draw your attention to one Ballroom lecture on basic steps by Italian coach Michele Bonsignori in 2017. The 38-minute presentation hit on a vital issue that is missing in much of today’s dancing.
Michele begins by talking about a curious frustration he has encountered in teaching some of the top young couples in the world. They perform imaginative and creative choreography with tremendous effect. Yet when he asks them, at the end of a lesson, to just dance a basic step they have no idea what to do.
One of the statements that really stood out to me was that without a rich understanding of basic steps and how they relate to all other figures you will never be a champion.
without a rich understanding of basic steps and how they relate to all other figures you will never be a champion
He then goes on to show that, if you don’t spend enough time to understand the basic steps with all the incredible dynamic quality they bring to your understanding of dance, you really cannot consider yourself an advanced dancer. He covers things like use of the knees and center and understanding where your foot pressure needs to be at every part of your dancing.
I was particularly impressed by an example he gives at the end of his lecture. He points out that WDSF amateur world champion Olga Kulikova, before she was a world champion, was falling short of her goals due to what many would see as a nearly insignificant issue in how she used her body weight before the dance even started.
The lecture is primarily focused on Slow Foxtrot and Tango, with a couple of Waltz examples thrown in. You’ll see how critical it is for anyone desiring high marks in competition to focus on a thorough understanding of basic steps. In my view, the basic choreography that Dima and Olga apply in the middle of the lecture is more beautiful and overall more artistic than their open choreography.
Take a look. I hope you enjoy this lecture as much as I did.
Even if it is sometimes considered, by dancers, a “boring” exercise, Plies are one of the fundamental movements in ballet. The term Plies comes from the French language and means “bent”. It is an action that is made by the knees, followed by the hip joint and ankle.
It is a fundamental move not only for ballet technique, but also for other dance styles. Plies are so important, because they are used to start and finish jumps and turns, to provide spring and absorb shocks, and as an exercise to develop balance and to loosen muscles. Everything in ballet has plié and everything that a dancer performs starts and finishes with it.
Even if it is just a “simple” movement, the plié needs to be executed in the correct way, considering also the dancer’s ability. It is executed holding the spine completely vertical above the legs and the hips facing forward while in a turned out position, engaging the gluteus muscles. During the execution it is so important to focus on the alignment of the legs turned-out from the hip, the knees usually above the second toe of the foot. It is a powerful movement that helps dancers to protect their body from injury . A very common mistake, in fact, is to force the feet into an unnatural position, over turnout, with the arch of the foot flat on the floor and the bodyweight on the big toe only.
Pliés can be in the form of demi-plié, executed with heels on the floor, and grand-plié, where the bending action is deeper, so is executed, except in second position, with the heels rising.
In ballet technique plié exercise is usually executed at the beginning of the barre, because it helps to warm up the feet joints, knees, ankles and hips. It helps to develop the flexibility of the muscle in the lower body.
The action of demi-plié at the barre is also important because it helps the dancer to develop a proper technique. It increases the softness and the flexibility of the joints and muscles and also makes the tendons elastic. It is also important for the development of balance, to find the inner center line. It increase muscle memory to execute an accurate, clean and not dangerous jump.
Practicing it in all the five positions of the feet helps the dancer to create a better connection between steps in the center or while performing on stage.
All ballet classes end with a reverence, with curtsies at the end; so pliés accompany dancers basically from the beginning of the barre to the end of class.
Therefore plié is so important not only to build stronger muscle and technique. It is also good for the dancer’s mind. The coordination of arms, eye movement and breath during plié begins the process of mental focus and concentration. It is usually the exercise where the dancer can perform a little bit and show her/his musicality, because listening to music can help to make the movement soft and smooth. It can help the dancer to become a very good and talented artist. It prepares the body, mind and spirit from the barre until the bowse to the audience.
Bianca Delli Priscoli
Answer: It is used as starting position for a number of free-standing exercises. Its greatest importance, however, lies in the fact that a large number of positions are derived from it, so that a fault in the fundamental position makes all the derived positions faulty.
Why is it important to learn the 5 fundamental positions of arms and feet?
These concepts taught in dance are the five basic positions of the arms and feet. The mastery of these positions is essential to a child's further development in dance. These positions comprise the most basic and most important strong hold in dancing.
What is the aim of dance education?
Artistic dance education serves to stimulate conscious understanding of the language of movement and to develop aesthetic knowledge and skill in movement expression. Education in the art of dance provides students with deep, thought-provoking experiences that combine many art forms and disciplines.
Why is it important to know the fundamental of dancing?
Through dance, students learn teamwork, focus, and improvisational skills. Dance awakens new perceptions in children which help them learn and think in new ways. Children need to express and communicate their ideas and to be given the opportunity to make creative decisions, even at a young age.
What is the importance of dancing when it comes to relieving stress?
The exercise from the dance routine causes the release of serotonin which helps to create a sort of “relaxed” feeling or natural “high” and endorphins which block an individual's perception of pain. This is completely healthy and helps the body get over stress and pressure (also mentioned in the video).
How important is dancing in our culture?
Cultural Dance is really important, this is our way to tell other people on what are the things that they need to know about our culture. It is also the way that other people could have respect, knowledge and give importance to our traditions and norms.
What does dance teach you about life?
It improves more than your flexibility, and it builds more than your strength. Think about it—the qualities you take on as a dancer don't just help you in the studio. From self-confidence to teamwork, here are five life lessons you learn from dance that may help you succeed at school and work, too: Determination.
What are the 3 qualities of a good leader?
The most important qualities of a good leader include integrity, accountability, empathy, humility, resilience, vision, influence, and positivity. “Management is about persuading people to do things they do not want to do, while leadership is about inspiring people to do things they never thought they could.”