daCi USA Newsletter Spring 2024

daCi USA Newsletter

Dance and the Child International | USA Chapter

INSIDE THIS ISSUE:

ON LEADERSHIP

Read about Amy Lang-Crow‘s journey from the dance studio....to the principal's office.

Learn about Rachel Swenson’s approach to social and emotional learning in the dance classroom.

Read about the recent regional one-day gatherings organized by daCi members.

MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR

Greetings daCi USA Members!

Since our last newsletter my family has grown! Ruby Lorene entered the world in November, and she is cheery, charming, and looking to join a

chorus! We took her to her first hoedown in February and she loved it! Slept like a lamb, wearing the darndest barnyard-inspired get-up. Here’s a photo of our cute little chickabiddy.

Sharing these kinds of personal details at the top of a message might seem inappropriate and irrelevant in other leadership scenarios. But in daCi, these details are woven into the fabric of our organization! It’s a unique organization where the small and the large details of family life, professional aspirations, and artful creation intersect. Honoring the connections between the personal, professional, and artistic elements of life is

“the daCi way.”

The daCi way is the pulse and heartbeat of daCi. It is the principles we embody as advocates for children as artists and creators. It is the experience we provide when we gather multigenerational communities to move together. It is the knowledge that every child has the right to dance, to create, to perform, and to witness.

When someone experiences the daCi way, they feel something special, they experience something singular.

This is what my friend Ann felt when she was visiting a museum in 2018. She witnessed daCi members guiding families through cultural and creative dance experiences related to the exhibits. She watched her grandchildren and adult children move together, leading and following each other’s creative and energetic choices.

The experience of participating with daCi never left her memory.

That may be why, for her 80th birthday party, she reached out to me with a request for someone to lead her family in a dance experience. She wanted something the whole family could enjoy, from toddlers to teens to her adult children. And thus we have the hoedown I mentioned at the top of this message. I told Ann I could put her in touch with a professional caller, but she wanted a daCi caller -- she didn’t have these exact words but she wanted the daCi way So I went and called the dances She said she would have to watch, that the dancing was for her family But ya can’t keep a good Ann down! She was shuffling and swinging with the rest of ‘em. The evening was a personal, professional, and artistic boon for Ann, her family, my family, and me.

The daCi way is a blessing to each of us. It serves our families, our communities, our studios, our students, and colleagues. It’s a gift to know of this organization, to participate in it, and to witness the magical fruits of the daCi way applied in so many ways across the country.

The daCi way is not simply the action of this organization through national gatherings, Days of Dance, and daCi Delights It is how you, our members teach, nurture, lead, and move through life. Your practice, perspective, and expertise light the path of the daCi way. It is the best marketing this organization has. Thank you for your efforts and example in our field.

I would love to hear how the daCi way is present and productive in your area. Tag us on social media @daCi USA or email me your story at chair@daCiUSA.org.

To those of you headed to Slovenia this summer, I hope to see you there! Dancing at daCi with a baby on my chest like my mentors did in the 70’s is a dream I’ve had for a long time. Cross your fingers I can make it happen, and I’ll be crossing, opening, reaching, and pulling that all your dancing dreams come true as well

Love to all, Heather Francis

Editor’s Note

Greetings daCi members,

I’m delighted to share the spring 2024 newsletter of daCi USA, including lesson plans, member profile, the Social-Emotional Learning Corner, the Recommendation Zone with fun and useful leads, and news from daCi International. New to this issue is information about recent Days of Dance -- regional mini-dance festivals organized by daCi members -with an invitation to do your own Day of Dance.

The notion of leadership is threaded through this issue. Amy Lang-Crow, daCi member from Arizona, shares her path from dance teaching to educational leadership. We have news from Youth Leadership, a daCi online initiative which is up and running, giving young members the chance to develop leadership skills We also have a workshop on leadership and government, developed by Anne Green Gilbert from the Creative Dance Center in Seattle.

Some years ago a newspaper interviewer asked Anne GG if she wanted her students to become professional dancers. She answered, "Professional dancers??? I want them to become President!"

Yes!! So here’s to leading in a multitude of ways. The world needs us and our knowledge!

Many thanks to daCi member Rachel DeForrest Repinz of NY who led as graphic designer for this issue and worked to make it look good. Much appreciated!

Happy spring to all,

Mady Cantor

Getting ready to lead, in an action moment from the 2023 National Gathering

ON LEADERSHIP: A Journey from the Dance Studio....to the Principal's Office

By Amy Lang-Crow

As a child I always danced and sang around the house, so I followed my older sister to a private studio in Fenton, Michigan. From the age of seven, I participated in ballet, jazz, and tap. When I was 13 my family moved to Mesa, Arizona. I tried a few studios there but felt out of place and decided to just take dance in the junior high. Luckily for me, all the junior highs and high schools in Mesa had dance programs. I signed up for dance classes every year and took everything on offer – including advanced dance, dance company, and the role of teacher’s assistant. By my senior year I knew my career path was dance education.

I went to Arizona State University where I benefitted from the inspiring mentorship of Dr. Mila Parrish, Kathy Lindholm-Lane, and Becky Dyer. A few days before I graduated with a BFA in Dance Education and secondary teaching certification, I was offered a position at Valley Vista High School in Surprise, Arizona in the Fine Arts Department. I jumped at the chance.

I was given the opportunity to start the Dance Program and Spirit Line program. The program grew by leaps and bounds over my 17 years there. By my fifth year of teaching it had already grown to ten dance classes, two dance teachers and approximately 290 students.

While at Valley Vista I wanted to do a deep dive into dance education theory and practice and found my way to a special program at the University of North Carolina Greensboro, designed for working professionals. I focused my research on assessment and reflection and the internal development of skills in dance students.

At school, over time, I incrementally took on leadership roles outside the building. I was the professional development facilitator for four high schools and an elementary school.

Valley Vista HS faculty in the dance concert.

I wrote dance curriculum for the district and took part in a variety of dance education initiatives at the state level. I took leadership roles at the Arizona Dance Education Organization and co-presented at many national conferences.

While working in these positions I found that I have an authentic love for curriculum and instruction. As nerdy as it sounds, I am drawn to thinking about the complexity of learning. This isn't just about breaking down the cognition, from standards to implementation of instruction. It is also about creating a safe and welcoming learning environment, developing relationships, managing behaviors, and developing global citizens.

In 2020 I interviewed for the Director of Arts position at the district. I didn’t get it, but gained intense interview experience and it showed others that I wanted to step into a leadership role. Later in the year when my school had a shift in the administration team, I was encouraged to apply for the instructional coach position, also known as the Teaching and Learning Specialist. My

responsibilities in this position opened my eyes to the way a school functions, from systems to culture to instruction and safety.

I was responsible for onboarding new teachers, leading a peer mentor team, helping the leadership team plan and present professional development, writing school goals, coaching and supporting all teachers in lesson planning, classroom management, student behaviors -- basically academic success and school support.

Once I took that initial leap out of the dance classroom I found the skills I had developed in dance -- from teaching technique to guiding choreography to directing performances -- allowed me to work well with adults in a wider field. My dance skills were leadership skills. My perspective on education became bigger and I had a wider influence. I could reach more students through their teachers.

This experience led me to wanting to have an even bigger impact. I felt that I couldn't do that without taking the lead of a school. I grew to love the idea of creating a culture of growth and achievement and refining systems to help meet those goals, plus I love coaching/teaching and want to prepare future educators to feel confident in their craft.

So, when I was approached last year to step into a Dean of Students position and gain more experience with the discipline side of leadership, I accepted, and at the same time started a M.Ed. in Leadership with a principalship concentration through Arizona State University. Over the summer I worked closely with the assistant principal of discipline to refine the behavior and discipline matrix, prepare for attendance procedures, and work with the administration team on what it looked like to

change behaviors on the high school campus. These were new areas for me. That position quickly turned into another opportunity. Two weeks into the school year, another school needed an assistant principal and I was asked if I was willing to fill the spot as an interim assistant principal. What better way to experience leadership than to move and groove right into it?

I began my next administrative dance as the interim assistant principal of El Mirage Elementary School. I moved from 17 years at a high school to a preK-4 elementary school. It definitely is a change but I believe good teaching is good teaching, regardless of the setting, and good leadership transfers to good leadership wherever you are.

Creative solutions I once was told to know the rules like a lawyer and break them like an artist. I feel that the creativity we cultivate in dance gives us a “habit of mind” to find solutions to problems in unlikely places.

Quick decision making

Dance teachers learn how to make decisions on the spot, from simplifying or complexifying movement phrases, to grouping students in productive ways, to knowing when to persist and when to move on.

Looking through a telescope and a microscope. Every choreographer sees the big picture but works on the details to make it happen.

Reflecting Dance teaching is in a constant state of analysis and reflection. Relationships We have a highly developed sense of spatial relationships and the ability to read body language. We understand physical boundaries but are also willing to lean – literally and figuratively --- into one another.

Creative solutions I once was told to know the rules like a lawyer and break them like an artist. I feel that the creativity we cultivate in dance gives us a “habit of mind” to find solutions to problems in unlikely places.

Collaboration Dance teachers frequently work collaboratively with each other and with students. Group dancemaking, shared performances, and joint teaching are frequent features of the field. We develop strong give-and-take skills, the ability to recognize and credit the good ideas of others, and the importance of inclusion and empathy.

Discipline and structure Dance educators come from a disciplined place. Most dance classrooms have set procedures and expectations. For

example, technique classes tend to start with a warm-up, next some barre or center work to practice basic skills, and then we scaffold those skills and move to across the floor, and then come to the center to apply all of the practice and eventually end with a cooldown. This structure provides a routine that makes coming to class a safe place to learn. Furthermore, dance teachers make sure that they are clear on the intended learning, as in, for example, the “I do, we do, you do” process. Dance teachers usually state what skill is going to be worked on, they review it with the class, then provide a few moments for practice and finally the students perform it. These ideas transfer over into classrooms. What does a warm-up look like in a math class? How do you transition your students between activities? In the dance classroom, we learn, practice, rehearse, review, and do it again (one more time!). I tell teachers to do this constantly. Students will always need to practice, whether it is content, skills, or classroom procedures.

I’m lucky that El Mirage, my current school, is a Health and Wellness program school. As I write, we are in Fitness February and we have asked the teachers to start each day with a movement exercise. I hope one day soon I can contribute more and start discussing cross-curricular pieces with movement

embedded but right now I am taking baby steps. To be continued….!

I feel that I have been well prepared for this moment of my career. I bring all of my knowledge from dance to it, including a dancer’s ability to improvise, collaborate, and connect. All of that dance experience is an asset as I jump into administration and expand my reach. I am excited for this new chapter.

Amy Lang-Crow is Interim Assistant Principal at El Mirage Elementary School in Arizona.

The Dance Class Laboratory: Nurturing Low-Risk Decision-Making

by Rachel Swenson

Editor’s note: This is the third offering in our SocialEmotional Learning series. daCi member Rachel Swenson has been researching SEL as a doctoral student at Teachers College, and uses it as a pedagogical framework in her work. Each column focuses on one of the five domains in SEL.

Dance students make hundreds of decisions throughout an hour-long dance class. From where to stand and where to focus, from what movement dynamic to emphasize to what emotion to express, from when to lead and when to follow, they encounter a multitude of social situations while dancing with other people. Each one requires a tiny decision.

The dance class offers something unusual and valuable: a laboratory for socialemotional embodied learning through lowrisk decision-making. The classes are low-risk

in the sense that students can experiment without jeopardy or long-term consequences. The decision-making skills students develop are concrete and cumulative, and transfer to situations outside the dance class.

CASEL (the Collaborative for Academic, Social and Emotional Learning) defines SEL Responsible Decision-Making as “the abilities to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions across diverse situations” (2023). In a dance class those abilities get strengthened as students practice making decisions, taking into account interpersonal issues as well as ethical and safety concerns. They assess the benefits and consequences of their decisions.

Framing dance classes as sites for responsible decision-making reveals the many opportunities they provide, such as:

Dancemaking: Creative group projects offer a wealth of decision-making moments. Students have freedom to make choices about movement, relationships to other dancers/body parts/space/time/energy, music, and principles of design in composition.

Partner and Group Dances: These require students to make decisions about their timing, positioning, interactions, and possibilities of inclusion.

Costume and Prop Selection: Students decide how these elements add to the theme and overall look of the dance.

Music Selection: Students choose music to consider tempo, style, lyrics, and mood aligning with the intended content and theme of the dance.

Adaptation and Modification of a Dance Sequence: This promotes creative problemsolving skills regarding ability/disability, injury, and personal preference.

Performance Choices: Students have the chance to make real-time decisions about the nuances of their movement, connection to other performers, and connection to the audience.

Feedback and Reflection: Students reflect on their decisions and outcomes and ways to improve for future decision-making.

Below are excerpts from reflections written by middle school dance students on making responsible decisions during collaborative dancemaking:

I learned to make sure everyone has a voice and an opinion during group choreography and to let one person talk at a time I have learned no one can be a "leader" the whole time, we have to be a team.

I don't normally talk or help out with the choreography and when I did during this dance, it gave me some skills that I can use in the future. I can come up with ideas and take over when nobody is doing anything instead of sitting there wasting time.

I learned that you need to have empathy for everyone's ideas for the choreography and not be so quick to shut down someone's ideas. I have been left out of choreography before and when you are left out, you feel like you had no part in making the dance

I have to remember that everybody dances differently, and I have to take that into consideration. Know what people can and can't do. I try to make my dance moves more simple, and not very complex

I learned responsible decision-making when we choreograph as a group, and we have to pick pieces out of people's choreography. Even if you want to use your choreography, you have to think about what is best for the dance, even if it means not using your choreography.

I learned that we should be taking risks but responsible ones. Making sure that my decisions are best for me and others.

Within the dance class laboratory, students learn to listen, engage in compromise, and demonstrate flexibility. They are not only learning the art of dance, but also honing skills to make caring and constructive choices about personal behavior and social interactions.

Having the opportunity to practice decisionmaking skills in the dance classroom, from empathy to problem-solving, collaboration to adaptability, will empower students to navigate the complexities of the world and become compassionate, thoughtful, and responsible individuals.

Work cited: CASEL (2023) What is the CASEL Framework? Referenced from casel org/fundamentalsof-sel/what-is-the-casel-framework/#responsible

Rachel Swenson is the artistic director and 6-12 dance teacher at Idaho Fine Arts Academy, and a dance teaching artist for the Idaho Commission of the Arts and the Utah Arts Council. She is pursuing an Interdisciplinary specialization as a doctoral candidate in the Ed.D. Dance Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Her research interests include social-emotional learning and social processes in collaborative choreography, and cognitive processes in creativity, as well as other areas.

Member Spotlight:

Ashley Zardus

Ashley Zardus started dancing at the age of three in a recreational dance studio in Michigan The studio focused on modern, contemporary and ballet This ignited her passion for dance which has continued throughout her life. Ashley graduated from Hope College in 2021 with a major in dance education and minor in math education, and Michigan certification to teach both.

After graduating she landed her dream job, a fulltime dance position at Novi High School, located outside of Detroit. She is now in her third year there. She teaches four levels of dance and a variety of styles, including hip hop, modern, ballet and jazz and slips in some dance history. The advanced levels focus on choreography. As Novi Dance Company, they compete with other high school dance teams and sometimes other studios The school holds two dance concerts a year

In addition to her teaching job (and teaching geometry in summer school!), Ashley dances professionally with Diversiform Dance Project in Rochester, Michigan, a company that welcomes dancers of all sizes, ages, and dance backgrounds to perform new work for the greater Detroit community. The company performs hip hop, jazz and disco along with contemporary, modern and ballet.

Ashley was introduced to daCi when she was in college and finally got the chance to attend the 7th National Gathering last summer in Holland, Michigan. What she enjoyed about attending it was the opportunity to dance all day as well as the multi-generational aspect. She was inspired by the experience and wrote this reflection about it.

This conference was unlike any other I have participated in Other dance conferences provide opportunities to learn through lectures and verbal communication, whereas daCi educates through movement, allowing the dancer in everyone to experience the joy that movement brings. The daCi community and classes open their arms to all ages and abilities, allowing everyone the chance to learn, collaborate and grow as movers. I was able to use this conference to make new connections as I move forward in my dance education journey. While my body is exhausted from the past three days, my heart is eager to share this experience with future students. Watching the younger dancers light up the room as I witness their excitement with newfound movement is contagious!

Among Ashley’s goals: getting a masters in dance education in the future and bringing her high school students attend the next National daCi Gathering in Baltimore in 2026.

Photo by Focal Life Photography

Lesson Plan: Lean into Leadership

5-partBrain-CompatibleDanceClassonLeadership

Onehourclassforages8toadult,includingartsorganizationsandcorporations

by

Warming Up

Introduce the Concept -- Leadership: A few attributes of an effective leader: confident, crea ethical, passionate, emotionally intelligent, team builder, clear communicator, mentor to future leaders

BrainDance: adapted from neurodevelopmental movement patterns and Bartenieff Fundamentals

“There are hundreds of variations of the BrainDance. Today we will do a mirror/shadow BrainDance with a partner. Let’s start sitting on the floor (or a chair) facing your partner. Close your eyes and take a few seconds to tune into how you are feeling physically……cognitively….emotionally….socially. Now decide who is Leader 1 and who is Leader 2. I will guide you through the BrainDance, saying a little bit about each pattern and then invite you to take turns being the leader as you guide your partner.”

Breath, the first pattern in the BrainDance, is the pattern of Oneness

Tune into your exhale and inhale. Notice the subtle movements of your body breathing. Where do you find openness? Where do you find resistance?

Leader 1, let your body respond to breaths of different lengths and strengths. Leader 2, mirror the movements in your own way.

Music suggestion: “Tao” from Tao Te Ching by Richard Warner

Tactile, the second pattern in the BrainDance, is the pattern of Sensing

We awaken our nerve endings through touch Appropriate touch calms the central nervous system and helps us bond with others

Leader 2, explore a variety of touch in your own time: scrub, squeeze, pat, brush all body surfaces as Leader 1 mirrors your movements.

Music suggestion: “Arrival” from Joyful Noise 1 by Andy Monroe

Core-Distal, the third pattern in the BrainDance, is the pattern of Twoness

We establish our kinesphere as we reach out with the distal ends for full body extension in all directions. We bring awareness to our core muscles by curling into ourselves, feeling safe, secure and comforted.

Leader 1, allow the ebb and flow of the inhale and exhale to stretch and curl, widen and narrow and expand and contract your whole body, as Leader 2 mirrors your movements.

Music suggestion: “Core-Distal” from Singing BrainDance (unpublished) by Barbara Karmazyn

Head-Tail, the fourth pattern in the BrainDance, is the pattern of a Lively and Playful Spine

The release of the head and tail through flexion, extension and rotation creates an open path for the central nervous system to fully function.

Leader 2, gently wiggle, bend, stretch and rotate your spine as Leader 1 follows your movements.

Music suggestion: “Spaciousness #2” from Groovelock Goes to a Gallery by Eric Chappelle

Anne Green Gilbert, founder of the Creative Dance Center and Kaleidoscope Dance Company in Seattle, author of three widely-used books on dance education, and a co-founder of daCi USA.

Find a way to easefully come to standing with Leader 1 standing in front of Leader 2. For the last four BrainDance patterns, partners will take turns shadowing their partner. Leader 1 will move through space first as Leader 2 follows as the shadow.

Upper-Lower, the fifth BrainDance pattern, is the pattern of Grounding

Differentiating between upper and lower body halves supports functional and expressive movement. We develop emotional stability through our connection to the earth.

Leader 1, move through space exploring movements with the upper body exploring different energies and range of movements. Look for the empty space and remember you have a shadow behind you.

Leader 1, now explore movements highlighting the lower body. Explore different speeds and pathways Look at other leaders for new ideas

Music suggestion: “Sit Up 4/4” from Ethereal: Music for Dance by Jeremy Nasta

Body-Side, the sixth BrainDance pattern, is the pattern of Choice

Moving through this pattern strengthens and balances both sides of the body and the right and left brain hemispheres. Articulating the right and left sides of the body separately helps us to accept different viewpoints, to clarify issues and to move with choice.

Leader 2, explore moving one side then the other side as you travel through space with a bear walk or lunges or slides as Leader 1 shadows your movements.

Music suggestion: “Sit Up 4/4” from Ethereal: Music for Dance by Jeremy Nasta

Cross Lateral, the seventh BrainDance pattern, is the pattern of Complexity

This pattern integrates right and left brain hemispheres to support complex three-dimensional movement, thinking and problem-solving.

Leader 1, explore movements that cross the midline but also movements like skipping that are contralateral. Leader 2 will be your shadow.

Music suggestion: “Coyote” from Hush by Yo-Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrin

Vestibular, the eighth BrainDance pattern, is the pattern of Balance

Vestibular means “entryway” -- the entryway into the conscious brain. The vestibular system controls balance, posture, alertness, concentration, and stillness Moving off-balance and onbalance provides us with necessary information about motion and gravity

Leader 2, explore movements such as turning, tipping, and swinging, pausing occasionally in a balancing shape as Leader 1 shadows your movements.”

Music suggestion: “Sirtaki à Helsink” from Playtime by René Aubry

Reflection questions with your partner: “I invite you to close your eyes and tune into how you are feeling now. Is there any difference from when you checked in with yourself before the BrainDance? Please share, with your partner, one change you felt. Now share with your partner one or two things you appreciated about their leadership.”

Exploring the Concept

Sculptor and Clay: “Find a partner. Decide who is the Sculptor and who is the Clay. Sculptor gently move a body part on the clay into a shape Then move two more parts and copy the shape you created Shake out your shapes and change roles You will each have two turns to be the Sculptor ” Music suggestion: “Compassion” from Insight by Cellomano

Guide and Traveler: “Decide who will be the first guide. The Guide gently touches a body part on the Traveler and the Traveler dances that part into stillness. Guide touches another part and Traveler moves, then a third part and Traveler moves. Then the Guide copies the ending shape. Shake out the shapes and change roles. You will each have two turns to be the Guide.”

Music suggestion: “Compassion” from Insight by Cellomano

Reflection questions with your partner:

Which role did you prefer and why? Sculptor, clay, guide, or traveler?

Which leader would you prefer to work with? Why? Sculptor or guide? There is no correct answer.

Developing Skills

Savila Se Bela Loza is a Serbian line dance. The title means “a grapevine entwined on a fence.” In this version, six dancers hold hands in a line. (multiple lines, depending on the number of dancers).

Dancer-Leader on the right end runs in curved pathways for 18 steps. Turn to face left (2 counts). DancerLeader on the left end runs in curved pathways for 18 steps. Face front (2 counts). Line stays in place: all do 3 side steps to right and kick (RLR kick L). Repeat to left (LRL kick R). Repeat right and left. Two dancers on end of line let go and run to middle of line and join hands as other dancers repeat side steps/kick to right and left. Now there are new line leaders who repeat the running in curved pathways, right and then left. Repeat side steps/kick sections, rotating leaders each time through the dance until music ends. Music suggestion: “Savila Se Bela Loza” from Rhythmically Moving CD#6

Self-reflection: how were leadership skills practiced -- teamwork, taking leadership, turning over leadership, and through flexibility in working with new leaders

Creating

Autocracy, Anarchy, Democracy

In groups of six, make tableaux representing three different forms of government:

two tableaux for Autocracy – hold each tableau for 8 counts, short movement phrase (improv) until music fades

Two tableaux for Anarchy – same process

Two tableaux for Democracy – same process. Make an ending pose.

Cool Down

Groups share their dances.

Music suggestions: These provide a good background for the showings of the group creations. No need to practice with them – just play a different one for each group, fading as needed. “Correlation” “Across the Floor” and “Opening” all from Ethereal: Music for Dance by Jeremy Nasta

Reflection in small groups: How did leadership change with each form of government?

Close your eyes, breathe and self-reflect on what kind of leadership role can you take in your own community to foster democracy?

Lesson Plan: Murmuration

45 minute class for middle school to early high school students.

by Ally Fulton, a senior at Hope College, studying communication, dance pedagogy, and dance performance. She found the murmuration video through a daCi Delight and turned it into a practice class in a pedagogy course. (Here is a short sample, shared with permission, from the practice class.) After graduation, Ally hopes to combine her passion for marketing and public relations with dance education to share her creative voice with others.

Warm-Up (5 mins.)

Centering and breath awareness

Begin by standing in a relaxed position, feet hip-width apart

Inhale deeply through the nose, raising arms overhead

Exhale slowly through the mouth, bringing hands down to the side

Repeat this breath cycle a few times, emphasizing the connection between breath and movement

Waking up the body

Perform quick and gentle neck rolls to release tension

Slowly roll shoulders, then swing arms slowly in rotation to loosen shoulder and arm joints

Bend and straighten the legs to wake up the lower half of the body

Breathe and reach

Inhale, reach arms out to the sides and overhead

Exhale, bring arms down as you contract your body into a smaller shape

Repeat this breath and reach pattern a few times, connecting the breath to the expansion and contraction of the body

Plies and spirals

Plie and stretch, repeat multiple times in parallel 1st and 2nd positions

Spiral carve to the right, return center; Spiral carve to the left, return center

Repeat a few times

Final breaths

Gather the students together

Take a final deep breath, inhaling and exhaling slowly.

Remind them to stay focused on their breath throughout the improvisational dance session

Exploring the Concepts (10 mins.)

Show this video about murmuration in birds. Discuss concepts drawn from the video: synchronization, timing, awareness of self and space, adapting to changes in dynamics and body, precision, coordination, unison, adaptability, nonverbal communication.

Activities to practice the connection skills above:

Mirroring:

Dancers divide into pairs and face each other.

Take turns being the leader and follower.

Follower copies the leader’s movement, focusing on speed – slow and precise – but still with a variety of energy qualities.

Demonstrate and point out that it is difficult to follow along if the leader is moving at a speed too fast to copy

Shadowing: Same as above, but follower behind leader and moving into general space.

Developing Skills (15 mins.)

Viewing: Murmuration explored in a ballet context - Show this video of Houston Ballet in “Murmuration”

Flocking in groups of four -- improvisation

Dancers divide into groups of four. In a loose group, all face the same direction. Leader is whoever is in front of the group.

All follow the leader. When the movement causes the group to face a new front, the leader role seamlessly changes to whoever is then in front.

Choose an element of dance to highlight/focus on:

Speed

various speeds from very slow to very fast stop and go acceleration deceleration

Energy

sustained, sharp, strong weak, loose, stiff smooth, jerky, free flow bound flow, resistance, heaviness lightness, directness, indirectness tension, relaxation, active pause/stillness

Creating and Showing (10 mins.)

Whole group flocking -- improvisation

Focusing on the idea of travelling through space as a group, guided by action words called out by the instructor, such as carve, push, grow, melt, fall, soar, etc. Instructor, at the same time, videos the flocking improvisation of the class.

Viewing of the video of the whole group flocking.

Guiding questions: What do you see? What works and does not work? What qualities of movement are present?

Cool Down (5 mins.)

Circle Conversations

Sample questions to consider:

What did you learn from this movement exercise about your own movement style?

What was the most challenging aspect of the exercise?

How can we continue this idea and build it further?

Breathing Activity

Connect to breath to close class.

Laying in a circle, hands on stomach Breathe in, and fill the ribcage expand

Exhale, deflate the balloon

Days of Dance

Regional one-day gatherings organized by daCi members. Each gathering is unique and reflects the interests and expertise of the organizers. Below are recent Days of Dance and some of the classes and workshops that were featured at the events.

Utah Day of Dance

Oct. 14, 2023 - Nebo Summit Center, Springville, UT

Creative dance classes in age cohorts, Bhangra Indian Dance, Puerto Rican Dance, Rwandan Dance, Creative Dance for Families, Comp & Improv for Teens, Visual Art - Printmaking, and Halloween Dance Party. Performances completed the day.

New York Day of Dance

Arizona Day of Dance: “Dance to the Music”

Oct. 14, 2023 - Paradise Valley Community College, Phoenix, AZ

Workshops in Folklorico, Musical Theatre and Dance Making, culminating in performances.

Student Dance Summit in collaboration with NYSDEA

Nov. 4, 2023 - Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, Tivoli, NY

Classes in West African Contemporary Dance, Contemporary Dance, Ballet, Jazz, Dance Making Workshop, and a performance of student dances and the group work created during the day.

Interested in doing a daCi Day of Dance in your area? Info here.

Seed money of $300 is available to daCi members!

daCi USA Youth Leadership is a special project that is now entering its fourth year. The program’s mentors, Kathryn Austin, Jennifer Florey, and Sara Malan-McDonald are excited to announce that the new season kicked off on February 17 with a total of 16 in attendance. daCi Youth Leadership meets online once a month. Our theme this season is Passing the Torch: Creating Systems and Learning to Delegate. We are always welcoming new Youth participants and encourage interested

adult members to volunteer for a leadership role or guest speaker option.

This year our youth leaders will be creating a handbook for the Youth Leadership Program. We are asking them to look at, define and tweak systems that allow for daCi Youth Leadership to sustain a natural growth pattern as a program, even when the leaders, both adult and youth, may shift.

Being a daCi Youth Leader means having the opportunity to learn and grow in various leadership roles alongside peers who are also passionate about dance and creativity. Our mentors model collaborative leadership, design productive tasks that serve the organization, and support participant growth through opportunity and accountability.

To find out

more, email

We are looking for guest speakers from our membership to spend 15-20 minutes with our group on personal experiences of dance leadership and topics directly related to this year’s theme. Please let our team know if you are interested. See the dates below. daCi members are encouraged to share this opportunity with all dance students in grades 6 and up.

Recommendation Zone

Enjoy these crowd-sourced resources from daCi members! Send your favorite recs to newsletter@daciusa.org

Winter Dance by Marion Dane Bauer (author) & Richard Jones (illustrator). A lovely early childhood book about various living creatures getting ready for winter. Each creature has several verbs associated with their preparation. There are many possibilities for movement phrase creation from the words or just improvising on the spot. In the end the fox protagonist dances, because apparently that is what red foxes do in the winter. Cool.

–Jeanne Traxler, Brookline MA

Germaine Acogny Reflects on a Lifetime in Dance

Check out this video about the dancer Germaine Acogny who is known as the “mother of contemporary African dance.”

–Anne Green Gilbert, Seattle WA

Here is a site that offers music downloads and video tutorials for a few fun barn dances you can call at your own hoedown! It includes the Virginia Reel, Oh Johnny Oh, Big Mountain Circle, and Oh Susanna, just to name a few.

–Heather Francis, Salt Lake City UT

I Am One: A Book of Action by Susan Verde. Click here for the teacher guide.

–Chara Huckins, Salt Lake City UT

A video of a stunning underwater dance, and the back story on how they filmed it.

–Jeanne Traxler, Brookline MA

From the archives at Jacob’s Pillow comes this extraordinary set of performances: The Dying Swan, danced by former Bolshoi ballerina Nina Ananiashvili, based on Michel Fokine’s original version and The Swan, a radical re-interpretation by Memphis jookin’ star Lil Buck. Great fodder for a class discussion or project!

–Mady Cantor, Philadelphia PA

Recommendation Zone

Enjoy these crowd-sourced resources from daCi members! Send your favorite recs to newsletter@daciusa.org

Unearthing Joy: A Guide to Culturally and Historically Responsive Teaching and Learning by Gholdy Mohammed.

This is a fantastic, accessible resource that centers joy as a worthwhile pursuit in education. Although not an “arts education” book specifically, I found it to be very arts-friendly. Each chapter includes a coloring page and a curated playlist, along with meaningful reflection questions. These elements encourage readers to adopt a creative approach to the inquiry presented in the book. The focus on joy and on honoring cultural legacies in our education spaces will resonate with many daCi members. For those in the United States who did not grow up with a comprehensive education around Black History, the information about Black communities’ engagement in and emphasis on education, along with stories of joy and genius in Black communities, will be a helpful resource. Available here. –Marissa Nesbit, Charlotte NC

“What if Dance Could Save the World” by the New York Times dance critic, Gia Kourlas. Read it here.

–Monica Frichtel, Philadelphia PA

Podcast: Arts Educators Save the World

This fascinating podcast validates what we all already know--arts educators can save the world! Artists are interviewed and share how their mentors changed their lives and encouraged them as children which directly connects to their professional success.

–Teresa VanDenend Sorge, Cincinnati OH

“Dance Training is Superior to Repetitive Physical Exercise in Inducing Brain Plasticity in the Elderly”

A scientific study on evidence of the benefits of dance for older adults. Read it here.

–Chris Roberts, Springville UT

daCi International Updates

by Joy Guarino, daCi USA National Rep

There will be a lot of dance in Ljublyana, Slovenia in July when daCi members from around the world converge for the 16th international conference, I-Body, I-Dance.

The international daCi organization is a conduit for dance around the globe. It links with UNESCO (United Nations Education, Scientific and Cultural Organization) through representation on the Conseil de la Danse (CID). The CID is open to all approaches to dance without prejudice for race, gender, religion, political affiliation, or social status. This focus on diversity, equity, and inclusion reminds both teachers and students that a culture’s values are embodied in its dance forms. It allows dance to be a conduit to cultural humility and empathetic global perspectives.

I invite you to investigate the international website, particularly the members’ area and daCi Connect, where you will be able to join discussions and initiatives that are special to daCi’s global mission:

Twinning is about closely interweaving skills and knowledge between people from different cultures and places to create dialogue and new knowledge.

One Billion Rising calls dancers to focus on stopping violence against girls and women on a global scale.

SpringBoard is an initiative designed to bridge the gap between young people and adult members.

Through the international conference and initiatives, daCi provides traditional and virtual experiences that enable members to ‘travel’ and interface with dancers in global communities to develop profound experiences with cultures different from their own.

Image created by Anja Rožen of Slovenia, 13-year old winner of the International Peace Poster contest sponsored by the Lions Club.