Dance In Public School Curricular Essay -- essays research papers

DANCE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL CURRICULA Dancing is a form of art that allows many children to express themselves through body motion while developing many skills. Children throughout the world have been dancing since the day they began walking. When a child to take their first steps and puts together the simplest combination of movements, that would be considered as dancing. Music also plays a major role in the development of children understanding dance, because it is can be used as an accompaniment, and can help children get a better feel for the rhythm in dances. Over the past century educators have come to the conclusion that dance serves as a form of art, and should be taught in public schools and colleges to help the growth in children of all ages both physically, mentally, and academically. The development in dance in education, during the 19th century in the United States, was linked to the sudden increase of elementary schools, secondary programs, colleges, as well as the establishment of private dance academies throughout the nation. Dance had always been thought as being just a form of socializing and not as a form of art. Private academies introduced dance as an art form before public schools. The private academies felt that through dance children would benefit greater academically, and physically, than those children who did not have the luxury of taking dance. Enrollment increased in private academies, while throughout the United States the enrollment in public schools steadily decreased. This was when educators decided to begin including dance in public school curricula. Kraus (1969) found that " a major influence in helping to bring dance into public schools and colleges was the work of the French dramatic teacher, Francois Delsante " (p.127). By the beginning of the 20th century, dance had become accepted by public schools throughout the United States and was now a required class. The only negative part about dance being taught in public schools, was that not all teachers who taught the dance classes were certified because there main objectives were to teach core classes. Throughout the United States, dance classes provided a form of exercise for children, but the dance were so basic it was not until public schools adopted the concept of modern dan... ...dance education is to continue growing throughout public schools and colleges in the United States, students, parents, and the rest of the community will need to stand behind their dance educators. Dance has always served a form of great exercise that allows people to express themselves through movement, and will continue to do so into the future. Dance education in the elementary level is a place that may need some help in child development, and the way to solve this problem is by getting classroom teachers who are skilled in dance and creative movement instruction. Dance education in the secondary level also needs to get highly skilled teachers who are also certified in dance themselves. It would also help attract more students if dance was presented in a different department other than physical education. Dance education in the college level is taught by certified dance instructors, therefore dancers in this level are able to explore movements, while being critiqued by someone who knows what is happening. Dance education has played a major role in the development of children of all ages, and will continue to do so, as long as dance educators and dancers have the proper support.