Teaching Dance

About the Book

Many of us are drawn to dance because we love the act of dancing. Teaching was something that came later. It is necessary to teach dance if we want to continue dancing and make a living doing it. Whether you are facing a class of students for the first time or are an experienced teacher, whether you teach children or adults, whether in a recreational setting or college, you will find this book an essential source of information. Supported by illustrations, numerous examples, sample lesson plans, activity suggestions, and discussion questions, Teaching Dance: The Spectrum of Styles is designed for use as a course textbook for student teachers and as a resource for the professional teacher. It includes practical tips and application suggestions with additional material downloadable from the website. Supported by illustrations, numerous examples, sample lesson plans, activity suggestions and discussion questions, Teaching Dance: The Spectrum of Styles is designed for use as a course textbook for student teachers and as a resource for the professional teacher. It includes practical tips and application suggestions with additional material downloadable from the website. This groundbreaking work brings the Spectrum of Teaching Styles originally developed by Muska Mosston and Sara Ashworth to the art and science of dance. The Spectrum will help dance teachers address many issues, including the following: For the beginning teacher, “Did I meet my objectives? How can I judge how well I did?” For the advanced teacher, “How can I encourage initiative and help students become more responsible and self-motivated?” “How can I continue to grow and improve as a teacher?” For the college or university teacher, “How do I help my colleagues in other disciplines and my administration understand dance as an academic discipline?” “How can I engage students cognitively and encourage critical thinking?” For teachers of children, “How can I focus on the creative possibilities of movement for each child and harness their love of discovery?” For teachers in private studios, “The students in my class are at several different levels! How can I coax the beginners and still challenge the more advanced students?” “How can I teach so that I reach every student, keep students coming back for more classes, and thus keep enrollment (and my business) up?” When teaching large classes, “How can I provide individualized feedback for every student in the class and still keep the class moving?”

About the Author

Elizabeth Goodling received both the Bachelor of Fine Arts and the Master of Fine Arts in Dance from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, and Ph.D. in Dance and Related Arts from Texas Woman’s University. She has taught for over 40 years, and directs the dance program at East Stroudsburg University teaching a variety of dance and theory classes. She enjoys helping students develop as dance artists, teachers, choreographers, and individuals.