18 Apr
2010
18 Apr
'10
3:45 p.m.
Contra dance. The great healing space.
M
E
On Sun, Apr 18, 2010 at 10:17 AM, Greg McKenzie <gregmck(a)earthlink.net>wrote;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 -
--
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
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
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