Dance is only accorded a sub-section of the National Curriculum, being part of
the PE Curriculum. There are strong arguments
for suggesting that it ought to have a much higher profile within the SLD Curriculum.
All writers on dance education recognise the significance of Rudolph Laban's development
of dance as an educational tool in the 1930s and 40s (Laban, 1948). These ideas were
further progressed by Veronica Sherborne, with her dual concepts of awareness of self
and the awareness of others (Sherborne, 1990).
Sherborne argued that an improved awareness of self is gained through movement
experiences that help the person physically concentrate on what is happening to their
body. 'Listening via touch' through 'feelings of inner physical sensation' contrasts
with our usual way of looking and thinking. This method tempers self-criticism and
allows those with learning difficulties to develop their self-esteem and confidence
on a physical and emotional level.
The next step (she argues) is to develop an awareness of others by learning to move
around and interact with others in ways that encourage the further development of
trust and the building of positive relationships. These movement experiences enable
the person to be appropriately supported and encourage them to explore their unique
creativity through shared movement activities (Sherborne, 1990).
There are real benefits and opportunities to be gained from using dance creatively
with pupils with learning difficulties.
The legacy of these early pioneers in educational dance (such as Laban and Sherborne)
is an emphasis on the development of the whole person through movement.
Compared to gymnastics, physical ability is of a lesser consideration in educational
dance. Rather, it is the way an individual lends subjective significance and meaning
to movement in dance that is esteemed. The point is that movement work in educational
dance is not competitive, it is not concerned with performing objective skills as
an end in themselves. Rather, they are harnessed in dance education as a means to
an end....
Peter, 1997
....This is not to imply that the development of children's physical skill is left
as a matter of chance. It is the responsibility of the teachers of dance to foster
the development of their pupils' movement repertoire, from which they may then select
and choose more purposefully and sensitively in order to create meanings in dance.
Thus they may be enabled to order and lend significance to their movements, and learn
that dance may have a communicative impact. A case of 'learning how to dance whilst
doing it'!
Peter, 1997
In this clip, a dance teacher establishes the routine and structure within a dance lesson, with a particular focus on each pupil's physical development. The next stage will be to extend each learner's own creative and choreographic skills so that they can design their own dances and movement and learn from each other.
In what ways does the dance teacher believe that children benefit from dance?
Click for the answer
Laban, R. (1948) Modern Educational Dance, Plymouth: Macdonald and Evans.
Peter, M. (1997) Making Dance Special, London: David Fulton.
Sherborne, V. (1990) Developmental Movement for Children, Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press.