Behind the Curtain Blog

by Pascal Rekoert, Assistant Professor and Dance Education Program Director at Central Connecticut State University ~~ If one thinks about teaching and learning in dance education, the realization dawns quickly that, like the art form, dance education is a gendered field. As a nation, the U.S. upholds rigorous and conservative beliefs and values towards gender norms, especially the expectations towards men. While dance has become increasingly accepted for males, especially in progressive regions...

By Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects Coordinator ~~ Dance can sometimes get a bad wrap in society. It can be considered frivolous and inconsequential, a nice hobby to have but nothing more. As dancers, though, we know that dance can be powerful! Dance offers physical, mental, and emotional benefits to individuals and can help build strong and supportive communities. Throughout history, dance has been used to bring people together, raise awareness of societal issues, and help support im...

By Elizabeth McPherson, Professor and Director of the Dance Division, Montclair State University ~~ Historically, US dance has stood in comparison to European dance, often striving to emulate Western European aesthetics. Dance forms seen as lacking in these aesthetics have been deemed less artistic and less refined. While Western European influence on much of US culture including dance remains strong, there are many, many more influences and dance histories that comprise US dance. Perspectives o...

by Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects Coordinator, “What is Jazz Dance?” It’s a simple question, but the answers are not as straightforward as they might appear. We can find the answer by not just peeking at current jazz classes in dance studios today, but by also taking a look back through time at the powerful roots and winding branches that have built this unique genre and helped shape American history...

By Maria Haralambis, M.Ed., NASM CES, FMT, The Dance Scientist, LLC, PhD Student, Entrepreneur ~~ The field of Dance Science is an excellent way for dancers to learn about their bodies, anatomy and biomechanics from a young age. These lessons on anatomical awareness impact dancers for the rest of their lives and are unique to dance. One of the biggest ways I believe we can make Dance Science more normalized is by having a consistent curriculum for young dancers, who I believe are left out of dan...

By Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects ~~ If the term “Creative Dance” conjures up images of young children running and skipping with wild abandon, pretending to be butterflies, fairies, or pirates, you are not alone! Creative Dance is sometimes misunderstood by families seeking to enroll their children in dance classes - and even by some dance teachers. But even though Creative Dance may not be as clearly defined or widely recognized as classes like Jazz, Ballet, and Tap, there are ma...

By Danielle Lydia Sheather, MFA, Assistant Professor of Dance, Southern Utah University ~~ Following the remarks of Kentucky’s Governor Matt Bevin in 2018, "If you're studying interpretive dance, God bless you, but there's not a lot of jobs right now in America looking for people with that as a skill set," I found it urgent to study the relationship between dance, higher education and the stigma that surrounds majoring in the subject...

By Demi Agaiby, M.S., Dance Psychology Consultant and Director of Beyond Horizons Performance ~~ As dance educators, it seems as though there is constant pressure to create. Whether it's choreographing the group piece for the spring showcase or putting the final touches on a competition solo - we've all been in a situation where we are rushing to beat the clock. Although we might have a plan in place to get those things done, life happens. Perhaps a snowstorm cancels a much-needed rehear...

By Shannon Dooling-Cain, NDEO Special Projects Coordinator ~~ For most dance educators working in private studios, January marks the beginning of recital choreography season. After spending the first half of the dance season introducing new steps and elements of dance technique, many dance teachers will begin creating choreography for the end-of-year recital when they return from the winter break. This can be a time of great creativity for teachers and excitement for students. But, it can also p...

by Pascal Rekoert, Assistant Professor and Dance Education Program Director at Central Connecticut State University ~~ After two adventurous years that feel like a century due to COVID-19 pitfalls and pratfalls, I am learning to prioritize self-care. As a perfectionist and chronic overachiever who has had difficulty separating work from family life while working remotely, the importance of to-do's, have-to-do's, and overdue-do's ...

by Jennifer Meckley, Assistant Professor of Dance at Ball State University ~~ As a gender non-conforming pansexual dance teacher in higher education, I have been conversing with colleagues and students about the challenges LGBTQIA and genderqueer students experience in academia and ways we can create safer and more inclusive spaces for these students. I will offer tips on how I have been proactively creating these spaces and will provide some insight on how everyone can contribute to creating he...

by Nancy H. Moses, Professor Emerita, Bridgewater State University ~~ What do MADEO, MMEA, MAEA and METG have in Common? This fruit salad of initials is a group of Massachusetts Professional Arts Education Organizations; they are all concerned with Advocacy; and they are all a part of a collective impact coalition called Arts for All in Massachusetts gathered together with other organizations by a group called Arts|Learning. Arts for All was created partly in response to the realization that STE...

By Jan Erkert, Head and Professor (2006-2022) Department of Dance at University of Illinois ~~ This 3-part blog series explores how dance artists can utilize embodied knowledge and choreographic process to interrogate systemic racism in dance programs. Dance departments and their curricula entered academia in the mid-20th century primarily reflecting the values of the dominant white culture in the United States. Ballet and modern often became the pillars of these curricula...

By Jan Erkert, Head and Professor (2006-2022) Department of Dance at University of Illinois ~~ This 3-part blog series explores how dance artists can utilize embodied knowledge and choreographic process to interrogate systemic racism in dance programs. Dance departments and their curricula entered academia in the mid-20th century primarily reflecting the values of the dominant white culture in the United States. Ballet and modern often became the pillars of these curricula and other dance forms ...

By Jan Erkert, who was Head and Professor in the Department of Dance at University of Illinois from 2006-2022. ~~This 3-part blog series explores how dance artists can utilize embodied knowledge and choreographic process to interrogate systemic racism in dance programs. Dance departments and their curricula entered academia in the mid-20th century primarily reflecting the values of the dominant white culture in the United States. Ballet and modern often became the pillars of these curricula and ...