Embodied Learning of Dance by GenZ and the Alphas as a Shift in Traditional Dance Education

Abstract

The learning of a craft such as classical ballet, which requires mindful, cognitive, and physical coordination at the onset, runs contrary to the existing capabilities of GenZ (ages 10-24) and the Alphas (ages 0-9), who are now the current students in the studio. Impacted by technology, their inherent urge to constantly experiment and communicate at a frenetic pace pose challenges in lesson retention, especially in a conventional setting as a dance studio, where the mode of teaching is strictly transmissional. This paper investigated the efficacy of adapting a traditional instructional method in today’s dance classroom. To develop an analytical understanding of movements, worksheets were tailor-made to reinforce the lessons of weekly ballet classes. Anchored on studies that support the skills of coloring, tracing, and writing as means to create neural pathways to the brain, worksheets were devised to visually simplify foundational movement concepts, as well as to enhance focus and concentration. Findings indicated that learning objectives were reached in a shorter amount of time, which allowed the dance teacher to seamlessly progress into more advanced lessons, quicker. The shift from disembodied learning to embodied learning changed the relationship between the dance teacher and the student. No longer did the learning of dance remain simply transmissional, or a form of mimicry, from a linear teacher to student stimulus response model. The learning of dance became not only a physical response to the student’s propensities; but also an intellectual and sensorial answer to his development as a dancer and human being.



Author Information
Maria Lucina Anonas De Santos, De La Salle-College of Saint Benilde Manila, Philippines

Paper Information
Conference: ACEID2021
Stream: Learning Experiences

This paper is part of the ACEID2021 Conference Proceedings (View)
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To cite this article:
Santos M. (2021) Embodied Learning of Dance by GenZ and the Alphas as a Shift in Traditional Dance Education ISSN: 2189-101X – The Asian Conference on Education & International Development 2021 Official Conference Proceedings https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2189-101X.2021.3
To link to this article: https://doi.org/10.22492/issn.2189-101X.2021.3


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Posted by James Alexander Gordon