This week’s workshop demonstrated to me the valuable use of language to teach dance. Using Laban’s words as a stimulus, we as students had to think creatively about how to interpret the language and then represent with our bodies. Macdonald (1999) discusses how dance is more than physical, it is a connection between a child’s inner world, their thoughts, feelings and beliefs and their outer world, their movements and behaviours (p. 435). Additionally, activities concerning Laban’s principles can be used in the key learning area of English, as an observational assessment of understanding of parts of language, such as adjectives and verbs. For example, towards the end on a unit of work using Laban’s movements, with a stage 1 classroom, I would split the class into group of four, and give each group a set of the words. These students will then create 16 counts to demonstrate their understanding of the language. Depending on the classroom, students could also perform their choreography for their peers, and their peers have to guess the language that is being performed. Studies have shown that activities such as these improve imaginative writing as well as build confidence and skill in creative movement (Gibson & Ewing, 2011, p.43)
Colla J. Mac Donald. (1991). Creative Dance in Elementary Schools: A Theoretical and Practical Justification. Canadian Journal of Education / Revue Canadienne De L’éducation, 16(4), 434-441. doi:10.2307/1495255
Gibson, R., & Ewing, R. (2011). Transforming the curriculum through the arts (1st ed.). South Yarra, Vic: Palgrave Macmillan.
EDUP3008 Creative Arts 3 