DOCUMENT RESUME 0 .2D 093 821 SP 008 AUTHOR , Fleming, Gladys: Andrews, _Ed. TITLE Children's Dance. INSTITUTION American Association for, 'Health., Physicel Education, . -end.Recreation, Washington, D.C. .$0B DATE 73 NOTE 112p. .AVAILABLE FROMAAHPER, 1201 16thStr1eet, N.V., Washington, 20036 (No'price-quoted), . EDRS PRICE M1 7,40.75 BC Not Available from EDRS. PLUS POSTAGE DESCRIPTORS 'Annotated Biblioqraphies;. Audiovisual Aids; A *Children; *Dance; Folk Culture *Guidelines; Teachihg Skills ABSTRACT This book on children's'dence s divided into five parts. Part 1 discusse4the votk of the task rde. Part 2 presents a Statement of belief and some implications and examples Of guidelines.. Other topics discussed are discovering:(0..nceu.a concept of time, _imOressionse.an approach todanCe with boys, and science as a point of devarture for danCe. Part 3 includes diScussions on dance in school, danpe for boys, folk.and-ethnic'contribuiions, and dance and -the related arts. Pat 4 discusses leadership for the 1980s, concerns for tWprolesEion,_and Competencies of the teacher of children's , dance:,; Part i5 lists reouzbesi.inCimAing an annotated bibliography of reading and audiovisual' materials,,pilot projects,activities, and. 'personal, contacts for. children's dance. An. appendix includes a Survey questionnaire, inquiry forms, criteria for viewing selected films, and areas of [teed research.AFD) \ 4.? O 0 , a L' va.-4 e\A CO reN 0 Cr% ..fo .0oipo , it CD tv..:re.:". gm IP so . ,, to.. w s.:..b.a. oi 7. .41 :. 46:0%00 11, o. s. IN,0- .f . :41, 2. Ale _a. 2 fir: ID 4, If .to . 0-4;," O 0 011- P 00 00 111. :... LII-DEPAR TMEN'T OF HEALTH. EDUCATION B WELFARE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PERMISSION TO REPRODUCE THIS EDUCATION COPYRIGHTEO MATERIAL BY MICRO. THIS DOCUMENT HAS' BEEN REPRO FICHE ONu S Hg5 BEEN GRANTED BY OuCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED FROM THE PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGIN AirNG IT POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS STATED 00 NOT NECESSARILY REPRE TO ERIC AND DRGANIZATiONS OPERAT SENT OFFICIAL NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF ING UNDER AGREEMENTS WITH THE NA EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY DNA L INSTITUTE OF EOuCAT ION FURTHER. REPRODUCTION OUTSIDE THE 'F.R.LC SYSTEM REQUIRES PERMIS SION DF HE COPYRIGHT OWNER.- L.. Boys and Girls Communicating, Responding, Feeling, Expressing Boys and G iris-- Dancin61, arid Adults Caring, Nurtdring, Aspiring, Extending o That's whaiiChildrefesllance is all about! to% Editor Gladys Andrews Fleming. o Copyright CI 197,3PIMP American Association for Haalth Physical Education, and Recreation A National Affiliate of the National Education Association 1201 Sixteenth StreetiN.W. Wishington, D.C. 20036 To Delia and Myrtle": and a!F t children touched and made joy ul by their lives *Delia Hu and Myrtle S. Spande Dance Division Task Force: Children's Dance 1967-1972 Gladys Andrews Fleming Joan S. Tillotson Chairman, Task Force Morrisonville, Newyork School of Education Virginia Commonwealth University Richmond, Virginia Additional committee members serving for Sal. E. Abitanta shorter periOds of time: WI Division of Curriculum Instruction State Department of Education Naomi Allenbaugh Trenton, New Jersey LiaisonElementary Physical Education Crirnission Robert S. Fleming Ohio State University General Education Consultant to the Columbus, Ohio-. Task Force 1969-1970 School of Education Virginia Commonwealth University Delia 'Hussey t . Richmond, Virginia Detroit Public Schools Detroit, Michigan Katie Planche Friedrichs 1967-1970 Southeastern Louisiana University Hammond,:Louisiana Shirley Ririe University of Utah ca Margie R. Hanson Salt Lake City, Utah AAHPER-NEA 1970-1972 Elementary Education Corisutant Washington, D.C. Rose Strasser Emeritus Mary Rae Josephson Nev York State University Minneapolis Public Schools Brockport, New York Minneapolis, Minnesota 1967-1969 t Ruth Murray t Deceased. Emeritus Wayne State University Detroit, Michigan Note: While most of the material in this book was diveloped by the Task. Force, some was written by persons designated by the Task Force. iV Prologue One of the wonders of human movement, and specifically of the dance experience, is its changing, amorphous, and quicksilver nature. It is procem,:not permanent fixed product. The same is true of the child, a human changeling hung between his begin- ning and his becoming, suspended in his being fora very brief and special. timer It is beautifully apparent that dance and the child are natural companions. If, as Merleau Ponty suggests, our bodies are our way of having a world, the child is busily at home in his own body forming and shaping his own world, its inner and outer hemis- pheres. He is making himself up as he goes along. It was a deep boncern with the human ecology of the child's world that surely. served as a prime motivation for the Dance Division's Task Force on Childrt anee. This project officially began in , butof course the awareness of childhood as a time of potent expressiveness vulnerable to influence is ancient.It is true that the ifripressionable and tremu.lous early years have been dealt with in many ways: with great care andyvisdom, and at times with enormous abuse. There were many specific goals of the Task Force, but the overall intention was pervaded by a deep desire to nourish the volatile.and ephemeral language of childhood. The poet Blake urges us to "kiss the joy.briefly as it flies." Dance is one way for the child td claim that brjef embrace. Nancy W. Smith a Vice-president of AAHPER. and Chairman of the Dance Division 1.967-1968 r- Statement Robert S. Fleming The Dance Division of the Association for effective dance Would emerge in a setup e. Health, Physical Education and Recreation where tension or human relations problems is to be congratulated for sponsoring the existed. One is impressed by the human Task Force on Children's Dance. This relations overtones in this document and project has significant implications for the the numerous opportunities for communi- Association as well as for teacher education cation through expressive antivities. in general. It is impressive that such a project It is refreshing to rote the emphasis on was conceived and executed through the aesthetics and creativity. As children are Association's own resources rather than by helped to express themselves openly and outside grants or groups. AAHPER and ". creatively, many aspects of growth and other professional groups might well -learning are enhanced. consider the way in which this study was JI executed since it demonstrates the contributions dedicated people make to the profession. .Children's. Dan& ikan alive publication:, It has strong mental health.oyertones, impressing the reader with opportunities for children to be successful; to feel that they belong. to pa'rtici,ente, to engage in meaningful activity, to be creative. As children feel good about.themselvet, mental health factors are enhanced. This publication strongly fortifies teachers and teacher educators with opportunities to help children develop positiiie self concepts and self-acceptance. As children dance together, they begin* to feel good about each other. Human rela- tibns factors are strengtIlkned thr9ugh the vitality of dance,.music, rhythmic activity, and self expression. It is unlikely that vi Statement Margie R. Han3on Dance is an essential component of the upon each other to delf fully functioningteacher education could learn a great deal elementary school curriculum and is Most - human beings. from AAHPER's,Dance Division Task Force often found as an adjunct to the physical Both dance and physical education have on Children'S Dance. education program.1 if the programs, a movement base. Dance, however, has the Childreni.Dancemay be thought of es a however, it has taken many forms including addedimension of !esthetic, creative, and prototype for other teacher education areas. such rhythmic activities as common as inner self expression, which is so impOrtant In an: era in viiiich models are often con- exercises, ball bouncing, rope jumping, and in children's lives. ..cented by small groups remote from schools, .. fundamental movements. While these are This publication is a significant research it is refreshing to see this emphasis .emerge . valuable, they should not be considered as projeCt Although no controlled experimen- by many groups froin many schools. How part of a dance program. Children need tation occurred, the entire project from exciting it -would be if other curriculum opportunities for self-expression and conception'to completion was conceived areas couldaffordthe luxury of sixyears aesthetic development through valid and executed in a research manner. The activity bye task force-of professionals to experiences. design of the project hasastrong research work closely with stew, regional, and Physical education seeks the physical base: and was checked,With leaders from national groups in conducting such a development of the child through sound various disciplines.. Asuqpptions emerged comprehensive study and in the-production techniques of body movement as well as as representatives from seteral disciplines of a book such asChildreresfOrinik'" the and cognitive develop- Aad opportunities to study danceandits ment; dance seeks the same development of role in the growth of children. The Task the child through techniques of body move- Force also designed its original work to ment for the creative communication and providea survey of the status of expression of self. In both dance and children's dance over the country. The physiCal education, the child can be freed data collected throughout the project were to learn about himself and the world carefully and systematically secured and around'him. Through movement the - processed. "child can express'ideas and emotions Children's Dancehas unlimited implica- which he may not yet be prepared to tions for the curriculum field; It suggests express orally or cursively. Each vitality of fresh, interdisciplinary, and discipline relies on motor competencies, expiessive experiences for childrag; It , but dance attempts to reach deeper into demonstrates the vitality of ingredients such the realm of treatiiiity and aesthetic as active participation, Meaningful activity, expression.