Fall 2006 Issue
Oct/Nov/Dec
Teaching Tips
HAVING FUN IN CLASS (WHAT AN IDEA!)
By: Kashani
I taught "Troupe Fun" as a workshop in September 2005 at Mezdulene's dance retreat. It was great fun indeed. I had planned on teaching 'Troupe Manage-ment 101" since it's one of the things that I'm really good at, but I must've forgotten that we'd set the title of "Troupe Fun". So, I asked my troupe (AKA my performance class) - "What's troupe fun?" I was surprised to hear Ketzia say 'the games'. WHAT??? Did Ketzia say what I think she said???? But, she HATES the games!! Well, she did say what I thought she'd said and she admitted that the 'games' are really "good for us", whether she likes them or not! They make students think about dance a little differently and that IS good.
So, here's the lowdown on some of the games (And I'm sure many of you teachers can come up with variations on them, too!)
These are designed to encourage team work, 'thinking on your toes', to foster comfort in free dancing and innovation in all your dance and they give your students something that they can do on their own, too.
*Supplies - index cards, enough for the number of students you have plus 3-4 extra - white or all one color (because other games will have other things written on cards having different colors for each game helps you keep your cards organized.)
*Write out 3 steps or moves on each card. Class members choose a card 'blindly' - they can't see what's written on the other side of the card. I usually pick a card for myself too and dance along, so that they SEE that I really feel it's important for all of us to do. Once everyone has their cards, ask if anyone needs a step broken down for them or if they don't know a specific step/move that's on their card. Put on music and have them dance to it using only the steps listed. Everyone dances at the same time, as this is something to help them, not something for others to watch and/or critique. After the song is done (or after it looks like students are running out of 'steam'), ask what they found out.
At this point, they may say that they had trouble transitioning from one step to another. This affords you the opportunity to show the group how to transition and explain to them that some steps transition well and others don't - a lot has to do with what steps you're putting together - where is your weight 'headed' at the end of one step? This will tell you which direction/type of step will be easiest to add on to the first step. Sometimes you can ask ideas from other students on how they would transition - most intermediate or advanced students will have some good ideas. Some students will discover that there are a couple of steps that they really like to do in combination - maybe a combination they might not have thought of on their own.
*After this game, students may also realize that they really DO like a step/move that they didn't think they liked before - when forced to use a new or different step or move many of us find that it's really helpful in building our repertoire of steps that we use regularly.
*WILD CARD - I usually put in a card that says "Three steps of your choice". I originally thought this would be the easiest card, but it is actually quite difficult especially for the less experienced dancer - they have to think more and make a choice (and there's SO much to choose from!). Still, the wild card has been a hit.
If you have any questions or comments you can contact me at Berube@turbotek.net. Please not add my e-mail to any distribution lists. If you're not e-mail accessible, please send any comments or questions to me at: Kashani, c/o J. Berube, 5840 Stellar Lane SE, Lacey, WA 98513-4758.
