Contra dance. The great healing space. M E
On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:17 AM, Greg McKenzie <[email protected]>wrote: > > Thank you, Nancy, for a wonderful and heartening description of teaching > dance in public schools. For whatever reason, our society is experiencing > an epidemic of autistic syndrome disorders, depression, asperger's syndrome, > bipolar disorders, psychopathology, and paranoia. When I look out at a hall > full of 100 people I have to assume that these groups are represented to, at > least, some degree. How many of those dancers have considered suicide > within the last year? How many are using antidepressants right now? How > many are going through a divorce or the death of a close family member? > > As callers we need to keep this in mind. This is why I always try to take > full responsibility. I know that, at least some in the audience, are likely > to take any negative implications personally. Almost all of us have been in > that state at one time or another. And all of us have some weakness in our > social or dance-related skills. As a community we need to adapt to the > strengths and weaknesses of everyone, and the caller should set an example > of that. This is how we teach the value of community. This is why I love > contra dancing. > > Greg > > ******** > > > Nancy wrote: > > Hello to all callers - >> >> I am a public school music teacher, and so am a de facto caller to each of >> my classes whenever we dance (which is often). So it is not a >> self-selected >> group in any sense - everyone's there - everyone dances. There are many >> children with processing issues - they do literally need to repeat back to >> you what you said in order to process it. There are many children who are >> spatially challenged - they don't see the BIG PICTURE of the circle, or >> lines, or square - and don't know that they are a part of this formation. >> And there are the directionally challenged - left? Right? The kids with >> big >> social or emotional issues...... etc etc etc. >> >> These are the reasons I love to teach dance, and feel that it is SO >> IMPORTANT. To be IN the circle reinforces the concept of a circle, being >> one part of a larger whole where everyone is equal and everyone is >> important >> helps everyone's self-esteem. Moving to music with others helps those who >> are depressed and lonely. The structure and "rules" - hands out and smile >> at your next partner - teaches social tools and makes it safe for all, >> including those students for whom this is the only time in the day when >> other students will reach out to them with a smile. >> >> So, yes, there are many "fires" if you think of it that way. But I love >> to >> see their faces when they do finally "get it" and then can do it on their >> own, and then start to own it. Of course, I have the luxury of spending a >> whole class period on one dance, or teaching it in bits over several >> classes, so I know it is a whole other can of worms to call at a public >> dance. But please be gentle with the challenged ones. It might very well >> be that they have never had to move in a certain direction with a specific >> hand with specific strangers within 2 seconds of you telling them to do >> so. >> Not many people even just walk a straight line at 120 beats per minute, >> let >> alone do it in changing formations with others. Patience patience >> patience. >> Now, to get the other dancers to have patience also..... >> >> Nancy Fiske >> > > _______________________________________________ > > Callers mailing list > [email protected] > http://www.sharedweight.net/mailman/listinfo/callers > -- For the good are always the merry, Save by an evil chance, And the merry love the fiddle And the merry love to dance. ~ William Butler Yeats
