Finally a clear line of inquiry...ish...maybe...

So I finally feel like I can see some light at the end of the tunnel with my inquiry. Through exploring the idea of creating independent students who go on to be professionals, I keep coming back to the idea that teaching dance, particularly in pressurised vocational environments, we as teachers can often find ourselves consistently falling back on what might be considered 'old school' methods of teaching. 'Teach the technique, drill it, correct, make sure the students understand, develop it'. I find it funny that in a field that is aimed at nurturing creativity, we often teach with a bit of an authoritarian air, potentially how many of us were taught.

In trying to get my vocational students to work autonomously and take responsibility for perfecting and developing their own learning, I've become increasingly aware of how much an authoritarian method of teaching can go against this. My inquiry is evolving as an exploration of how different teachers view the balance between older and more modern student-led teaching styles. I want to explore where they place the importance, how they create balance and their own views on the potential conflict in this area.


Comments

  1. Hannah Lindsay21 April 2018 at 13:45

    Ah! This was very similar to my original line of inquiry before I settled on an offshoot of sorts. I've got some great sources, if you'd like them and haven't already found them.

    Paula Salosaari's Multiple Embodiment in Classical Ballet is excellent, really excellent. You can find an online pdf if you google; there's a few different ones floating around.

    I also liked Gretchen Alterowitz's work and Barr and Oliver's work relating to feminist pedagogy in the ballet classroom. They have lots of articles available through Summon. There's way more sources on feminist pedagogy in ballet than I originally anticipated when I started hunting! I'd love to chat sometime about the topic in general if you ever want to; it's one of my favorite things to delve into as a teacher.

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