These two identities have different positions in the dancing field. Being a teacher requires both the learner and dancer experiences.
The first stage is being a student which requires commitment if somebody
wants to be a dancer or moreover to become a teacher.
‘In dance motor learning is the process that allows dancers to learn and
execute basic sophisticated skills that are not acquired through normal human
motor development.’ (Weiss, 2009)
I think that this process helps a student to become a dancer.
A Dancers’ mission is not just learning dance, but to also learn about
quality of the learnt movement and to get the motor skill to recall the
additional knowledge at the physical execution (Weiss, 2009). This process
including attention and observation of the certain movements which contains
also the additional emotions which the dancers can transfer to the performing
art.
When I was a student and I attended classes I put focus on myself. I
tried all of the movements, knowledge and feelings on myself both physically and
mentally. It was like trying a dress on. I observed the material, the
capability and possibilities of it and I also noticed my feelings, how I felt
with the dress on myself.
This observation is the foundation of the performing skills which can
improve by a lot of practice and experiences.
I remember when I was a learner, it was the most inspiring period in my
dancing journey. I wanted to know everything about belly dancing. I improved my
dance skills and I started to understand myself better. I could be lost in
movements and I explored the power of moving with music. Dance gave me the
feeling of freedom but this process was very personal and it took place within
myself therefore I felt that this is a lonely journey.
When I became a teacher I realised that I have to pay attention to
students, which requires a completely different focus. As a belly dance teacher
I am responsible for training students in dance technique and expression skill.
I must make the most critical aspects of the movement which helps my students
to improve. As a teacher I must know the
movements clearly and share all the additional knowledge with my students, for
example, if I teach turns I have to explain the posture, the posture of the
legs and arms, the spot with head and the focus etc. I have to teach them
perfectly. I have to pay attention to them instead of myself and guide them in
their journey.
This requires being reflective because what they are going through is
what I experienced in the past. As a dance teacher I have to put more focus on the
outside instead of myself. Especially when I teach beginners who are not
familiar with the dance classes.
Dancing and teaching can be interconnected if you are teaching the high
level class where you can let yourself go and dance but it also depends on the
students as well as the type of lesson. I have realised that when I teach
improvisation I am a bit more freed. This gives me inspiration and allows me to
dance freely for a short time while demonstrating the improvisation skill or
when I teach choreography.
Sometimes I allow myself to dance freely at lessons but I have to be
careful because the lessons are not about me but about the students. Being
a teacher is not a lonely journey it is a cooperation with students which helps
me to improve divergent thinking and to be open minded.
Weiss, D. S. (2009, 11
15). www.DanceEducation.org. Retrieved 12 05, 2017, from Motor Learning
and Teaching Dance:
http://c.ymcdn.com/sites/www.iadms.org/resource/resmgr/imported/info/motor_learning.pdf
