Author: Fowler, Charles B.

Publication Year: 1976

Media Type: Report

Summary:

Currently, statements on the value of dance and how it may best be experienced are to be found only in a few books and isolated articles, each reflective of a single author's view. Participants at an Alliance for Arts Education (AAE) Conference in Washington, D. C., decried this lack of universality on issues of concern in dance and stressed a need for credible and readily accessible information deemed essential for creating, guiding, evaluating, and defending dance experiences in the schools.

Abstract:

Currently, statements on the value of dance and how it may best be experienced are to be found only in a few books and isolated articles, each reflective of a single author's view. Participants at an Alliance for Arts Education (AAE) Conference in Washington, D. C., decried this lack of universality on issues of concern in dance and stressed a need for credible and readily accessible information deemed essential for creating, guiding, evaluating, and defending dance experiences in the schools. With this need in mind, the NDA Projections Unit developed a proposal for a two-phase project on issues and concerns in dance education. The proposal was approved by the AAE Board of Directors and the NDA was awarded a grant from AAE for implementing the Project.

Phase I of the Project was the writing of a publication which would represent a strong, reasoned, and comprehensive view of the issues and concerns of dance in education. To attain that view, a nationwide survey was made to aid in defining the issues. Respondents included music, art, and theatre consultants, arts directors, arts council personnel, athletic directors, supervisors, physical education teachers, elementary classroom teachers, dance resource teachers, dance teachers at all levels of education, undergraduate and graduate students, dance company managers, and artistic directors of professional companies, including ballet, ethnic, and modern dance.

A conference was later organized to bring together knowledgeable and respected leaders in dance to discuss and determine pertinent issues. The leaders represented different dance organizations, dance studios, minority groups, and all educational levels. To further ensure that all aspects were considered, the Project Director invited top resource personnel to the conference to present national, state, and city perspectives. Views of parents and of the AAE were also heard.

The participants representing dance then assumed the responsibility for clarifying the issues and setting forth concerned ideas, positions, and statements on the issues. This material was then given to Charles B. Fowler, who served as compiler-writer. Dance as Education, the publication in hand, is a result of that work.

Phase II of the Project was the making of a media package to supplement and illustrate the philosophy presented in the written document. This took the form of a ten-minute slide-tape entitled, Dance is..... For prices and order information, write AAHPER Promotion Unit, 1201 Sixteenth Street, N.W., Washington, D. C. 20036.

CONTENTS
1. Dance is... What dance is. 
    Why dance is. 
    Dance in education. 
    The right of access to dance.

2. Curricula in dance. 
    Quality of dance curricula. 
    Building curricula in dance. 
    Student performance in dance.

3. Teachers and specialists in dance. 
    Qualifications of dance teachers. 
    Preparation of dance teachers.
    The dance resource specialist.
    Certification in dance.
    Non-certified teachers of dance.
    The dancer.
    The physical educator.
    The arts teacher.
    The classroom teacher.
    Other resources for teaching.

4. Resolution - dance education.

Appendix.

Arts & Intersections:

Categories: Arts Education