Case Study 1: “Folk studio “Rūta””

CASE STUDY 1 CASE STUDY 1

Folk studio “Rūta”

Introduction

Alytus Youth Centre is an institution providing a wide range of non-formal education activities and additional occupations. AYC is a basis and place of experienced, talented, creative and motivated staff and teachers offering new opportunities and initiatives.

We try to prevent young people from harmful habits, educate their personal and social competencies, prepare them for life by providing professional knowledge, motivating to choose, study and achieve results.

As a partner in COURAGE project, Alytus Youth Center has chosen a dance theme to help teenagers and young people to start positive changes in their lives, keep them safe and self-confident. There are so many evidences and opportunities in choosing dance as an extracurricular activity.

Friendships

Being active in dance classes, or on a competitive team helps young people to build meaningful and respectful friendships. Young people spend a lot of time with their dance partners having fun and sometimes going through tough times, too.

Self-confidence

There are so many issues that the teens face today: from boyhood troubles to self-image matters, and even pressures of deciding what their career will be in 10 years. Therefore, the dance provides them with a place to forget the stress and focus on building self-esteem and self-confidence. It gives dancers an opportunity to build their skills and accomplish their goals in a fun environment.

Why dance?

A case – study in AYC is based on Rokas. He is a teenager, attending folk dance studio Ruta at AYC. For centuries, many cultures have used dance to communicate, show emotions, share stories, and provide physical and emotional healing.

Use of dance as a type of physical therapy and psychotherapy goes back to the 1940s. Nowadays dance

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therapy is used to treat a variety of emotional and physical conditions.

Dance therapy is a type of psychotherapy that uses movement to further a person’s social, cognitive, emotional and physical development. Modern dance teachers strive not only to provide non-formal education or pastime, but help individuals develop their improved emotional stability, a better self-image and essential communication skills.

Dance therapy uses the body’s expressive movements to help deal with emotional issues. Individuals of all physical abilities and ages can benefit from this type of therapy. Even though it is possible for a person to benefit from private sessions, group dance therapy is also an option. Benefits of dance are proven to have a positive impact on troubled children and teenagers. When used for the teens and children, it offers them a possibility to develop a healthier sense of self-worth. It also gives them tools to cope with emotional issues, work through difficult problems, and improve personal communication skills. Dance teachers can use movement and dance to help a child or a teenager relax their body tension, which improves their emotional function.

Through movement, children and teens can express themselves, show what they are feeling and learn to understand themselves. For children and teens, dance therapy may include making up a new dance routine, telling a story through their dance, dancing as quickly as possible, dancing to mirror the movements of other people, or even dancing to show a specific emotion.

Through movement, children and teens can express themselves, show what they are feeling and learn to understand themselves.

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Dance specifically proves to be helpful for children and teens that deal with: • Excessive or extreme anger • Hyperactivity • Neurological issues • Past traumas, such as physical, emotional or sexual abuse • Self-harm • Suicidal thoughts • Problems with self esteem • Concentration problems, such as ADHD • Eating disorders, such as bulimia or anorexia • Depression • Stress or anxiety

Rokas has experienced a wide range of emotions typical for teenage age (He is now 17). He’s been engaged in folk dancing since he was three. Rokas admits that there were several times he wanted to quit, as he was sick and tired of folk. On the other hand, in Lithuania, folk dance is not popular with boys, so bullying was another challenge to handle. Sometimes dancing is still considered as “female” pastime.

The dance teacher Ruta was the main supporter and mentor for Rokas” choices and decisions. According to Rokas, she is like a mother to him – not putting pressure but motivating, offering freedom to choose, and take responsibility for other members of folk dance class.

Even though classmates and friends’ bullying did affect him a lot, Rokas gathered strength and kept dancing. Unfortunately, popularity of folk dance in Lithuania decreases, so a lot of efforts are needed to maintain Lithuanian traditions.

Folk dances are characterized by a symmetrical design, and in later times by a compositional complexity and variety of figures. There are various ways of dancing in pairs. Partners can embrace each other in the polka- or waltz-like manner, or they can just hold each other’s hands when facing each other or standing in a circle, or hold each other by their bent arms. Dances and games used to be restrained. There were no solo dances. Leg movements are dominant: the steps are short, the feet are not raised high, and there are no big leaps. Hand movements are characteristic of imitative dances. The most frequent steps are walking, jumping, as well as waltz and polka steps. The dominant figures are turning, intertwining, going through and changing places. Purely men’s dances are not very popular in Lithuania.

In the late 19th century and early 20th century game dances were gradually replaced by circle dances, Young people liked polkas and other fast-moving dances which came from Western Europe.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the first folk dances were adapted for the stage. Since 1940 about 300 folk dances and circle dances have been adapted for the stage.

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A lot of performances given by amateur companies open with the hat dance Kepurine, which is a greeting dance.

Among the Lithuanians living in emigration, the dance Kubilas (Tub) enjoys great popularity. The dance Klumpakojis (Clog dance) became popular at the end of the last century. Ethnographic and folklore groups are trying hard to revive old folk dances. Each ethnic region has its favorite dances. Several dances, such as Bitute (Little Bee), Noriu miego (I feel so sleepy), Suktinis (Twirler) and Zilvitis (Osier Tree) are popular in all parts of Lithuania.

Rokas learned not to pay attention to bullying. “Others can say or think whatever they like, it does not affect me. I am doing this for myself, not for others, and I enjoy dancing. It far much better than sitting home and doing nothing”, admits Rokas.

Rokas achievements are remarkable. Dancing both folk and line dance, he has numerous awards, prizes and medals from national and international tournaments. It helped him to build his self-confidence, trust, motivation, self-esteem, responsibility and stamina needed for future life.

Dance therapy really worked in this particular case. Rokas’ teacher Ruta was able to use dance as a powerful tool to encourage a teenager and share this good practice among her students and colleagues. The interview with Rokas was published at the local newspaper Alytaus naujienos. The outcomes and results were shared with AYC community and social partners.

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