So many valuable points, that I wish our conservation could have continued in person, yet appreciate this form of discussion works better for all our lives and time zones.
Thank you for your vulnerability Adam. Your story resonates with so many right now. Brené Brown's Rising Strong is helping me understand its ok to fail and fall, and character is built in those slow motion moments as we try to pick ourselves back up. You are not alone.
The ideas of identification and streotyping are things I have been thinking of reflecting on as it also influenced my path, leading me to understand teaching is a true passion and somewhere where I can make a positive change. Thank you for your honesty and that piece of conversation, Maria and Susan. I was a curvy dancer and not an esthetic fit for dance. Having been told I would never fit into company costumes, would have to be twice as lean as anyone else in order to balance the stage, have a breast reduction, or that my weight on the scale determined my talent, all shattered my confidence. Many years of hurt. It took me a long time to realize how it actually helped shift and shape me. These experiences moulded me into an advocate for inclusivity in all senses. Even listening today, and writing this has helped me realize inclusivity is an important pillar in my teaching philosophy. Not only have I had the chance to teach interdisciplinary classes, multi leveled classes, but also a student with down syndrome who danced with us for 18 years, and a community dance program for adults with severe disabilities. The passion of dance, and everyone's right to dance and express themselves through movement, is a human beings birthright, and not just the skinny dancers with nice feet. As the saying goes 'never judge a book by its cover'. One doesn't know if we are teaching and shaping the next dance physio, next choreographer, next stage combat director, or prima ballerina.
I left dance for my ex-husband, to work regular hours, and chose massage therapy because it seemed still physical and I could then treat dancers with a movement knowledge base and give more sound guidance to wellness. This experience was a blessing in disguise and helped fuel my passion for teaching and the understanding of the physical instrument even more. I love teaching why and how. Andrew touched on wholistic teaching and I believe this is so valuable. Teachers can be influential and inspirational, or widdle a students confidence away, if not throw it in the dirt and stomp on it. I feel the dance communities are moving and embracing this idea of wholistic teaching. I want to ride on that train.
Tying this into inclusivity, I think that is why I was drawn to the anatomical point of view in teaching- we are all built with the same parts, we can all move and express ourselves. If I teach the students about their bodies and to appreciate and know them from an anatomical sense, instead of a visual/appearance sense, then we are all beginning from an equal point.
So many great and valuable thoughts shared. I loved that Helen recapped them into AOLs. That was very helpful to see how that can actually work. As both Charlotte and James stated, this discussion seemed to open more questions about which experiences to write about. I do feel worried at times about what to write. I have not begun yet and feel that maybe I am behind where I should be? Has any one started writing?
Hello Sheahan, thank you for the above. I appreciated the insight into your life, I think many people's journey's here resonate with me. I too embrace inclusivity, and sometimes feel I run a 'dance hospital', a healing place for those that have battled with prejudice or intimidation in some way or another. It's both an enlightening time as much as it is a stressful one. My inclusivity is not another's, including the examiner who is behind the conformity of a marking structure, or personal taste. It will always exist in dance practice, at least in my lifetime.
ReplyDeleteI have begun writing, but it only shows how much I have yet to do. It has offered a framework however, something I needed - I was getting lost with the ever growing amount of content.
Hello Shehan, thank you very much for sharing this. I loved reading it. It really makes me sad knowing that ballet is still so much focused on physicality and abilities. Deciding what a perfect body looks like in terms of ballet aesthetics. Ballet or dance in general clearly needs more diversity.
ReplyDeleteI have begun writing a little but still trying to get hold of the chaos of thoughts in my head ;-)