The Critique

The choreographer made brilliant strides to fuse together a sense of acknowledgement to everyday actions and the rigor of dance. His intention was clearly depicted in the way his dancers moved like none I had ever seen before those subtle flexes of the arms and legs exaggerated into full-fledge steps portraying a sense of humanistic simplicity. Koresh clearly intended to absolve the viewer into a sense of disarray, wanting to create movements that were distinctly reminiscent of everyday actions but still carried enough finesse and synchronization in order to be classified as a dance performance. He wanted to exhibit a full extent of human emotions through pulsating dance movements that were powerful enough to project the very moods of anger, lust, and longing.
   
The subject of the work was life and human emotions themselves. Indeed the movements depicted a range of distinct, sometimes jerky but relatable arm flexes that exhibited feelings of anxiety, anger and sometimes even care such as when one of the male dancers held the female dancer with all his might where as she continued with her hand movement as though wishing to be let go. Then came a sudden jerk from the male dancer and the female stumbled to her feet, in perfect execution. Koresh used the space of an hour and some minutes to portray 14 sections of dance routines that seemed to be compiled like mini-stories of one big narration. There was practically no use of props and for good reason too, as the choreography was designed to bring forth a sense of passion in the rigors of everyday life, displayed with exquisite finesse and skill at the hands of the experienced crew, something props might have possibly taken away from.
   
The performance majorly followed the contemporary form of dance, with a mixture of ballet techniques with maybe a little inspiration from jazz. The approach was consistently modern though and it appeared to complement the intention of the choreographer beautifully. The picture he painted was that of humans undergoing various emotions that could only be supplemented by seemingly inconsistent moves, lifts, falls, jitters and gyrations. Coupled with an eerie background music that seemed to be comprised of African drum beats with dabs of the banjo, the piece was serene yet very communicative of the proficiency of the choreographer in achieving human-inspired burst of emotions through contemporary dance.
   
The performance of Shannon Bramham stood out for me the most. Her exquisite execution, from the lifts and spins all communicated a sense of passion for her work, as well as the finesse of the choreographer. In parts where the entire crew would stay still while she was at one corner of the layout performing, I could notice every detail of her stretch, twirl and reach. It was very inspirational.
   
My thoughts throughout were regarding the theme that was the centerpiece of the dance Sense of Human. At first it was hard to relate the choreography to the title but as the minutes strolled by, one could see the detailed reference to human emotions and the impact they created. The strongest aspect of the dance was the fact that there were no props at all, and there were no discernable weak points. The lack of props centered the focus squarely on the limbs. The gradual relation the movements developed with the title led me to believe that sincere belief in ones choreography could easily communicate the desired message to the audience. Perhaps one thing that left to be desired was a deeper storyline, but that is indeed a very small gripe.

Second performance Patio Plastico
Title Patio Plastico
Choreographer Brian Sanders
Venue Equality Forum
Duration 40 mins
Date of attendance 30th Apr 2010
The Critique   
   
The primary intention here was simply to capture the essence of the beauty of the male physique while depicting the superficial nature of humans today through dance. The storyline was the main centre of attraction here, as the choreographer was aiming to highlight the way humans tend to prefer artificial objects such as patios over the more natural grass and herbs. The movements were slow and strenuous, displaying a sense of finesse and muscle power involved in the process greatly emphasizing the beauty of the human anatomy. The artificiality of todays world was the subject, and this was brought into the limelight by carefully timed grins of dancers playing guests as well as the all-smiles nature of the patio dwellers. The space was well utilized with lighting playing an important part in setting the mood and the message. Visual elements encompassed much of the available space, with dancers being painted vivid silver and being flung in the air in perfect sync. Special attention was given to props with wide usage of acrylic clothing and shirtless male dancers posing inside of picture frames. It was a unique experience.
   
As with any innovative choreographer, the style was a mixture of different styles fused together to create something original. Contemporary dance was the main focus and elements of modern dance were plentiful throughout. The music was conservatory and accentuated the concepts the choreographer wished to emphasize well, especially in scenes where the male physique was dominant. The dancer that particularly stood out was the one involved in the picture frame sequence. His presence was paramount in sequences where he posed in the frame himself or juggled them like a gymnast. His physique, of course, was most glaring in these depictions.
   
Brian Sanders choreography spoke volumes about his status as one of the most innovative choreographers Philadelphia has ever produced. His work did relate in a positive way to his own feelings about his sexuality, his ideologies regarding the American culture and dance in particular. The impact it generated was clear and similar to the Koresh performance, aspired me to simply believe in the quality of work I can produce. It also highlighted an important aspect of choreography for me the storyline. Dance is a great way to confer a message to your audience.
   
This piece displayed the ability of the masters at work. They inspired me greatly not just to dance but to think out of the box and come forth with my own ideas, no matter how odd or surreal they seem. Sense of Human executed the same beautifully. My perspective on dance has been altered significantly in so much that I do not look upon it simply as a means of entertainment. If the right form of expression is used, the audience will find entertainment themselves.

KATHERINE DUNHAMS CREATION OF THE DUNHAM TECHNIQUE

Every aspect of Katherine Dunhams life played a significant part in creating the Dunham Technique. The experiences that Katherine encountered while growing up gave her the platform to pursue a successful life as a dancer and pioneer of her own dance technique. This Technique went beyond the common definition of dance (Gross Samantha, Dancer Katherine Dunham Dies at Age 96 Associated Press Writers June 2006). It was an innovating venture of an individual who had a comprehensive understanding of the creative lengths that go beyond the confinements of culture or society.

Katherine Dunham began dancing long before she enrolled at the University of Chicago to pursue Anthropology and dance (Wikipedia, Katherine Dunham, 26 March 2010). This is a clear indication of her love for dance that prompted her brother, Albert Millard Dunham Jr. whom she joined at the University of Chicago, to open a group, Cube Theatre, which would help Katherine improve her performance abilities (Aschenbrenner, Joyce Dancing a Life 2002 pg 22). She wanted to nurture her talent despite the restrictions that would have come up due to her lack of expertise training.

During her life at the University of Chicago, Katherine tried to fight the social boundaries that had been erected for a long time. The University did not inhibit the students creativity and allowed them to undertake whatever projects students felt would boost their outlook towards life and the society at large. It is in relation to this that Katherine did not allow the difference in culture or status in the society bog her down instead, she had a close relationship with her teachers and mentors who encouraged her to take her ability to the next level(Aschenbrenner, Joyce Dancing a Life 2002 pg 23-26).

The social limitations that had been placed on who could dance to what, must have pushed Katherine to look for her own Technique. The 1930s was a time when most communities in the world had not embraced the fact that it was possible for individuals with other culturally backgrounds to fit and even in certain circumstances do better than people of the said culture.

Her teachers in the University knew quite well that Katherine Dunham could face prejudices if she pursued the methods that were greatly engraved in the minds of the locals as being for the European and American dancers. They knew that she would be criticized if she wanted to come out on top as the best ballet dancer of that time. Instead her teachers gave her an opportunity to perfect as many styles as she could and come out as an all rounder (Aschenbrenner Joyce, Dancing a Life 2002).
With the understanding of this Katherine Dunham must have been looking for a dance technique that would help her creativity at the same time avoiding the racial prejudice.

It was hard for Katherine Dunham despite her profound dancing ability to be accepted as a competent dancer especially with the archaic beliefs that were still strongly held. It was widely established that the African Americans did not possess the dynamism and physique to make a ballet dance come out complete with the arching of the spine and toes. This reasoning might have pushed Katherine Dunham towards creating a style that she could dance to without people criticizing her moves when the spine did not bend as they thought it should or when her hands didnt sway to the set rules of movement all constituted within social boundaries. She must have known that with her own dance style it would be possible to join all these warring social groups. (Aschenbrenner Joyce, Dancing a Life 2002 pg 27).

Katherine did not immediately come up with her technique. She first formed a dancing group to help her gain more expertise. She also went ahead researching about popular dance techniques that were prevalent at the time. (Wikipedia, Katherine Dunham, 26 March 2010).

This was just a tip of the iceberg. In 1935, Katherine Dunham got an opportunity to extend her Anthropological research through sponsorship by the Julius Rosenwald and Guggenheim Foundations (Wikipedia, Katherine Dunham, 26 March 2010). She left to conduct the research in the Caribbean. The study was to involve understanding primitive dancing culture and also the rituals that the communities in the Caribbean countries were conducting (Dunham Katherine, Island Possessed)

It was a trying time for her to balance academic sense of anthropology which required her to conduct the research intelligently and her love for the emotive feelings that dance evoked in her (Performing Arts Encyclopedia-The Katherine Dunham Collection, The Library of Congress. Website 8 Feb. 2010). She was expected to come up with all the information as her assignment indicated and at the same time the intrigues that landing in a new land with interesting cultural practices.

Haiti is one of the countries in the Caribbean that made an impact in Katherines life as an anthropologist and a dancer. The cultural diversity fascinated her and she wanted to learn more about the Haiti people. Katherine spent her stay in Haiti discovering what influenced the emotive, vigorous dances that the Haitians demonstrated. She knew that there was more to the dancing than just movement. She wanted to learn more about what led to these intense styles and what they represented in the life of the community. The fact that the people were facing colonial supervision and they used dance as a way of expressing their feelings without letting the authority see as if they were down playing them attracted Katherine Dunhams attention. (Answers.com, Dunhams Katherine Biography)

The Haitian dancing styles were in essence influenced by the political upheavals the community had encountered. The dances were very vigorous characterized by a lot of body movements involving the hips, pelvic and shoulders. Katherine wanted to learn more and she even engaged in Vodou religion. The dance rituals the religion practiced are part of the present Dunham Technique. (Dunham Katherine Island Possessed University of Chicago Press, 1994, Norment Lynn, A dance Legend with a mission to service Ebony Magazine January 1985 pgs 48, 52, 54)

This is a religion that integrates most of the African ways of worship that were brought by the slaves from African countries with the Christian beliefs that the slaves found in the Caribbean country (Wikipedia Haitian Vodou 30 March 2010)

With such grounding in the intense dancing culture of the Haitian people Katherine was able to get enough information for her anthropological thesis and in the process craft a dancing technique that incorporated the styles she had learnt in Chicago like Ballet with the styles she discovered in Haiti (Wikipedia, Katherine Dunham, 26 March 2010).

The Dunham Technique was a new thing to the dance world especially in America where other techniques were widely accepted. It intermingled dancing and the beating of African drums which synthesized with the dancers. But she did not do away with her Ballet training instead she brought particular elements of it into her technique (Norment Lynn, A dance Legend with a mission to service Ebony Magazine January 1985 pgs 48, 52, 54)The main characteristics of the Dunham Technique lie in the intense movements a dancer has to portray. In the practice sessions the students go through a series of exercises to help their bodies become flexible. It is followed by lessons of the routine her students are supposed to memorize. Her technique also involves breathing exercises to help the dancers bring out the real emotions that to bring out the right feeling exhibited by the Haitian community and the Europe-American Ballet steps, Katherine borrowed from.
This method represents the coming together of the concert like dancing popular with the Western dancing styles with the Vodou ritual and other dancing methods common in the Caribbean Nations (Ebony Magazine The Legendary Dunham Katherine February 2006 pg 102-106).

The Dunham Technique has many styles under it which all require a good understanding that energy is important in crucial to making the right moves. The shango is a perfect example of what emotive vigorous dancing is all about. It needs energy to arch the spine and ground the hips as recommended (Dunham Katherine Shango).

Katherine Dunhams LAg YA brings out Katherine Dunham technique. This is a dance she had choreographed for the Federal Theater Project in Chicago. It involves all the aspects of the technique from drummers to the costumes that represent a village kind of setting (Traiger Lisa A Tale of two Pioneers) She brought back the dance styles she had learnt in Haiti and taught it to her community. The stage setting, costumes and movement all borrowed a lot from her encounter in the Caribbean country.
She brought out the idea that it is possible to innovate what an individual has and wants to share with the world. She had the ability and vehemently went out to seek a way of achieving her dream without following the same old set of methods yet the world was full of un researched techniques.

Katherine tried to unite all social classes in the society by showing that it was possible to share a stage and even a dance style without making one party feel inferior or superior. It is because of this relentless effort that she left a dance legacy and was awarded prestigiously and also an author of several books (Dunham, Katherine, Veve A. Clark and Sarah East Johnson Kaiso Writings by and about Katherine Dunham Madison University of Wisconsin, 2005)

Katherine Dunhams creative style was good enough to fight the social segregation that people showed and at the same time was instrumental for her to state her view on all matters by choreographing dances that explained her political stand on issues. (Traiger Lisa A Tale of two Pioneers)
Her technique will always be embraced and practiced not only in America but also in other parts of the world that want a style that is all encompassing.

Katherine influenced American dance and maintained a dance company that taught her new way of dancing to the world. She wanted to change the world and she did so through dance. (Ebony Magazine, The Legendary Dunham Katherine. February 2006. pg 102-106).
Katherine Dunham was an Anthropologist, Choreographer, Activist and a pioneer of a dance technique that will be there forever (Wikipedia, Katherine Dunham, 26 March 2010).

Dance Education

Very few will refute that dance is a very good means of entertainment and exercise, but few are aware that it could also be an effective tool in teaching students in classrooms. Why the introduction of dance into school curriculum and how to implement it remains the problem statement of this thesis. Several scholars have used diverse empirical arguments to answer this question one of such is Kolbs experiential learning theory, which states that learning is a process creating knowledge through the transformation of cognitive experience. Yet again, scholars have claimed that dance is a means of expressing ideas, thoughts, culture and lot more. Finally, dance remains relatively cheap compared to other arts activities, such as drama. It therefore remains most appropriate for public school students that are from low income homes. Dance will be most beneficiary if incorporated into the art classes and physical education classes. Dance can be used to tell the stories of diverse cultures.                                                                  

This academic discourse revolves around the use of dance as a unique tool in schools for teaching students to understand the world they live in, using dance as a medium to interpret diverse cultures and traditions across the globe. Essentially, the paper delves into a critical analysis of dance as a method in education. Since observations have proven that dance education arouses students motivation for learning, promoting their overall learning and also helps students in discovering their own inner ability of creatively communicating their thoughts and ideas via the means of dance, hence dance should be incorporated into school curriculum. However, it must not escape the attention of all that to ensure that dance achieves this aim, it must be organized well into curriculum and divide appropriately into lesson plans, with each lesson having an objective. Yet again, there must be adequate equipments and facilities too if the program is to achieve its aim. The paper will be incomplete without mentioning the objective and philosophy behind dance education. Finally, the paper will enumerate the guidelines, dance education inventory course outlines, and examinations process for the dance education in order to make the paper a comprehensive one.
                                
Background of topic Dance has been in existence from time immemorial. History even claims that it is as old as human himself, for it was the sole means of communication before oral or written method came into existence. It has also been scientifically proven that rhythmical movement is an intrinsic nature of human. Human have since relied on movements and gestures not only to communicate but also to understand, mold and interpret of their world. Apart from the fact that dance remains a very good exercise for the human body, human has continued to use it a major method of self-expression. To say the least, dance is not merely a set of movement of the body to music, it is indeed a cognitive art that if properly harnessed, could be a vital tool in achieving a comprehensive educational system. Several researches have all proven that among the youths, dance does not only promote culture, it also motivates students in towards learning, thus overly enhancing the teaching and learning process in the schools.
Dance is a natural vehicle that children use to help them understand themselves and      the world in which they live.

Until in the recent past, dance was solely taught in classes of physical education.  However, it is presently being adopted into schools curriculum as a form of art which can be compared with drama, music and the creative arts, worthy of being comprehensively studied (Carter, 1984). Contemporary education curriculum has identified that as an elemental part of basic education, students must be exposed to at least an art. Dance happens to be an art, a creative art that develops social skills in students. Dance as a curriculum places student at a vantage position of learning practically, rather than the traditional method of theoretical lessons.

Yet again, dance tends to expose students to a broad range of socio-cultural template, invariably connecting students to the entire world at large. The significance and importance of dance cannot be over emphasized it remains a vital tool used in connecting students to their history, culture and social values. Dance is usually performed from various historical, cultural, and social genres to increase their knowledge and appreciation of dance and its relationship to other significant components of human history and experience.

Purpose of Study The aim of this research is to logically assert that dance is a vital and necessary method of teaching in public schools, relying on the extensive research works of diverse scholars. The objective of this paper is to highlight the advantages of the study of dance as a curriculum, hence showing that it is needed and should indeed be added in the schools curriculum to ensure comprehensive and qualitative education in all students.

Conceptual Framework Dance as a curriculum ensures that all students come in contact with diverse cultures, norms and beliefs. It tends to make students appreciate the rich cultural heritage in our world. The basic learning goal of dance education is to enable students use predefined movement to express themselves vividly and communicate meaningfully. The objectives and parameter of dance education curriculum must be sequentially organized to consist of techniques and forms of dance, history of dance, production and performance, aesthetics, and other creative endeavours. (www.eric.ed.gov.com). Dance curriculum helps the students perception in understanding people, culture and the world generally. Summarily, dance curriculum will help student connects with one another and to the world at large.

Basic Concepts
Dance education It is the use of dance as a teaching tool in classroom based on the
belief that students require art as part of their basic education.
Learning goals These are the aims and objectives teachers or other stake holders want to achieve by using dance as a teaching tool. Learning goals primarily determines the methods of implementing dance as a curriculum. Performances are a by-product, but are not the primary goal of dance education. It must be noted that dance is not taught merely for entertainment or for performance purpose. It is taught to develop the students in some specific areas of education.

Dance curriculum This is a set of organized programs of study or syllabus that are
 arranged for teaching dance to students in the classrooms. This stipulates process and form which the teaching of dance in classroom will take. It states the content and component of the dance program.
Dance Aesthetic This is one of the major programs in dance curriculum that teaches
students to be creative in their dance lessons. It is a method that analyzes and critically assesses numerous skills in dance to overly develop student thinking ability.
                                                     
Literature Review
Scholars in numerous numbers have all extensively written on the use of dance as a teaching tool. These scholars include DeBryn, M., Dimondstein, G., Ranke, J. S., Gardner, H to mention but few. Quite a number of academic works abound on the methods of teaching dance to students. Professor Ruth L. Murray of Wayne State University has this to say about dance education Virtually all arts provide means in which people bring shape and order to their fragmented and rapidly changing world. But dance provides a primary medium for expression involving the total self...dance and the movement that produces it is me and is the most intimate of expressive media. A persons self-concept, their own identity and self-esteem are improved in relation to such use of their bodys movement. If we believe that movement plays a crucial role in the development of individuals life and that all education should foster creativity, body movement as a creative medium in education attains great significance.

Several organizations have also contributed to the introduction of dance into pedagogy. These bodies believe dance to be an exciting and vibrant art which can be used in the educational setting to assist the growth of the student and to unify the physical, mental, and emotional aspects of the human being. (Dance Directions, 1988).  Such bodies include National Dance Education Organization (NDEO), which is a non-profit organization with the primary goal of promoting high quality education in the art of dance. In actual fact, in the recent past, virtually all have accepted dance as capable of enhancing students learning process and education.

Therefore, to claim that our present world is experiencing a shift in pedagogy is not far from the truth. Although some teachers may be reluctant to accept this blatant truth, this has not changed the general inclination towards the use of dance in classroom teaching is being embraced by many scholars, as it presents students with practical situation in expressing themselves.

Yet again, David Kolb, the world renowned education theorist has claimed in his
famous education theory, known as Experiential Learning theory, that knowledge can be easily transferred to students using the basic learning process which are experiencing, reflecting, thinking, and acting. The theory revolves around the famous saying of a famous philosopher which says thus.
Teach me and I may forget, tell me I may not remember, but show me and I will never forget.

Since Kolb experiential theory came out in 1971, it has received many reviews from many scholars all across the globe. The theory does not support the traditional educational method of learning in which pre-existing set of knowledge or ideas are transmitted to students. According to Kolb, experiential learning theory describes learning as the the process whereby knowledge is created through the transformation of experience. Knowledge results from the combination of grasping and transforming experience (Kolb, 1984).

According to the theory, there are two basic dialectical means of acquiring experience and also two means of processing experience. The first duo is Concrete Experience and Abstract Conceptualization while the second duo is Reflective Observation and Active Experimentation. To borrow from the tenets of this theory, it is very important to teach students practical lessons if they must acquire a cognitive knowledge in what they are taught.  A general saying that support this theory is experience is the best teacher (Anonymous).
   
Through dance, students are subjected to practical experience in diverse culture. This practical experience, according to experiential learning theory, ensures that students gather constructive knowledge, using the four learning modes, which are experiencing, reflecting, thinking and acting. This process is known as the ideal learning cycle that touches all aspect of learning.
   
Scholars have also affirmed that dance tends to arouse students motivation in learning. Many researches conducted with the use of questionnaires have proven that students tend to be keen about lesson involving the use of dance as teaching method. The results of these questionnaires show that many average and low-grade students find the traditional method of teaching boring but find dance quite interesting. This motivation results in students paying more attention to their studies and culminating into a better performance in their studies. Summarily, researches of scholars have all pointed to the fact that dances as a teaching tool is paramount if student are to achieve a cognitive and qualitative education.
                                                      
Methodology
The paper has followed the prototype of a comprehensive research. It relies on the references from diverse primary sources, which are mainly works of other scholars. The paper also used secondary sources, such as journals, newspapers, and websites of organizations in its research. Furthermore, to ensure that the paper achieves its aim of establishing dance as a necessary tool in education, the paper has used questionnaires, interviews, action research and finally teachers reflection in the process of its research to assess the opinion of students, teachers and other stake holder on dance curriculum.
                                  
Project Design Curricular Project Model     
The dance syllabus should revolve around the aims and objective of the curriculum. Obviously, from all the discussion of the paper so far, dance curriculum is taught to students in order to develop them in creativity, help them understand diverse culture, to express themselves and to interpret their world. Hence, the lessons must be designed to pursue the following
Dance techniques for social, ethnic and modern dance The aim of this curriculum design is to teach students the appreciation of diverse culture, respect for other people, self-direction and discipline and other diverse skills student will require in their world.

Aesthetic perception  The goal of this lesson is to help students in using, pinpointing and assessing diverse methods of dance methods in order to develop the students creativity and thinking ability.
Kinesthetic sense This will develop students movement skill and enhance their senses of cognitive integration. It will ensure the finesse of their rhythmic movement. It is also a means of good health culture.
Creative expression The aim of this lesson plan is to create uniqueness in dance and to ensure a creative method to dance learning process.

Choreography This lesson will enable the development of team work, self-esteem and appreciation of diverse cultural and social heritage of the people.
 Dance criticism This develops critical thought and creative thinking in the students. It ensures that students creativity is enabled in order to prepare them for the dynamism of the outside world.

To put in the right words, dance curriculum should be designed to teach students the tenets of human relationship in our contemporary world of changing norms and value, an ability to recognize and appreciate diverse culture across the globe. The comprehensive framework for dance in the public schools states what each student should be taught at each academic level and subjects. The curriculum is organized in a course-by-course and grade-by-grade form. Simply because of the there is a vast base of skill and knowledge involved in creating, performing, responding to, and understanding dance, experiences and learning must occur in a sequential manner.

The above listed dance curriculum can be divided into stages according to the grades and level of students. The analysis of these stages is as follows
Stage 1 Introductory Stage Students that are not familiar with dance will need to
be introduced to it. Students are inclined to believe that dance is only meant for entertainment. They will need to get used to the idea that it could be use for academic purpose.

Stage 2 Gestures and Movement Stage Students are encouraged to use gesture and
 dance in expressing themselves. At this stage, students are given a comprehensive insight into the use of drama in interpreting their world.

Stage 3 Technical  Students are already well versed in dance and should move over
to the more technical aspect of dance which include choreography. They are to choreograph their own dance as individuals and groups.

Stage 4 Cultural Stage Students are trained in the use of dance in interpreting
diverse cultures across the globe. Student should be taught the dance culture and dance style of different people and culture. This will enable them to respect and appreciate the culture of people across the globe.

Stage 5 Production Stage Students are prepared for production of dance. They are
 assigned into groups heterogeneously. They meet occasionally after class to rehearse their dance independent of their teachers. Each group has the responsibility of choreographing a cultural dance. At the end of the term, the various students dance groups will perform on stage their dances. Teachers could invite parents to attend and watch their wards.   

Stage 6 Reflection Stage All the performances of all groups are reviewed. The teacher and the entire class analyze and criticize the dance aesthetic, integration and other technicalities of all groups. The teachers and students will discuss all related issues of the various dances. This will ensure that students are corrected on all the errors committed in their dances. Students are also to give feedback to their teachers in respect of their challenges encountered before and during their production.

Dance curriculum does not exclude any grade of student, in can be used in teaching students from Kindergarten  to high school. A case study of a Public Schools Dance Education Curriculum is below

Dance Education in Public Schools

Dance education has been hailed as one of the best learning modalities in education that has a general positive impact on the development of the learners. Being an expressive form of art, dance education has helped community integration as students are able to appreciate cultural diversity as well as developing natural abilities that they use in communicating their ideas, opinions and emotions. Dance education is therefore an important aspect of the education curriculum as it contributes to the overall improvement of the students.

The arts are credited as a high level means of expression in virtually all cultures around the world. The arts are known to teach the community about history via its literature, visual arts, music, dance and performance. It has become imperative that in the current world, one is not just to appreciate the arts but also get actively involved in the creative arts. Learning through the arts provides us with an opportunity of bringing every subject to life and create reality from conceptual world. Dancing has been in existence for quite a long time in history of mankind. Dancing involves the use of body movements as a tool for expression. Dance education has been hailed as enabling students to discover their natural capabilities that are handy in communicating ideas, thoughts, and feelings through dancing as a medium of expression. The dance education curriculum acknowledges that any given student has the right to an arts education as an essential part of his or her fundamental education. This paper will look at how dance education in schools can be implemented to improve the students careers.

Dance Education
Dance education requires that students move their bodies expressively to pass certain meanings. It is said to provide students with a kinesthetically means of learning and passing on information. Dancing program is usually designed to educate the learners on the basics of dancing and chorography. The program also plays a vital role in helping the learners nurture self discipline concepts. It is through the art of dancing that learners are able to appreciate cultural diversities in terms of different beliefs in our society. By evaluating the history of certain dances from different cultures, students are able to respect other cultures thereby being able to connect and co-exist with people with different cultural orientations (Young, 1992).

More often, dance is incorporated as a physical education program in elementary and secondary schools. The goals and indicators of the dance curriculum are arranged in sequence. Kindergarten Grade 12 (K-12) would encompass creative work, types of dances and related techniques, history of dances, performance and production among other basics in dancing. Dancing studies are said to contribute positively towards healthy lifestyles together with development of personal and social skills. The dance programs provide the necessary opportunities for cultural integration. A quality K-12 dancing program caters for the learning needs of the child in totality. Such programs would address the development of the child physically, socially, emotionally and intellectually. The dance curriculum helps the students to practically experience the learning process. The dancing enables the students to be successful since it incorporates all the different learning techniques and intelligences (Baltimore County Public Schools, 2010).

Benefits of Dance Education
The performances that are exhibited are just but mere by-products of the dance education. They are therefore said to be originating from the creative process of dance education. Dance education has been identified as having numerous positive effects on the motivation of the learners as well as the overall academic performance of the learners. Dance components are thus essentially viable to be included in the school curriculums. Introduction of dance programs in public schools will be most appreciated as this will be cost effective for most parents as they strive to ensure that their children are exposed to wholesome education program. The magnet schools that are scattered throughout the country to serve students with special interests are seen to be costly to the parents. There are also some specialized high schools meant to address the needs of the gifted dance students and therefore the public schools would provide the source from which these specialized high schools can recruit the talented students (Young, 1992).

Dance programs do help the learners in their development on various accounts. Learners are able to advance on their critical thinking skills imaginative skills cooperation and teamwork skills they will be able to develop self esteem and self expression skills and the organizational and problem solving skills. The learners are also able to communicate emotions through body movements and at the same time they learn to appreciate the diversity of human culture. Dance program enables the students to develop their own aesthetic criterion with which they use in evaluating and validating their activities and decisions that they make (Baltimore County Public Schools, 2010).

Dance education is a wonderful concept that is meant to contribute towards the improvement of the students general performance in schools. Dance education provides the learners with the opportunity to learn via movements and it involves the utilization of the acoustic, visual, and kinesthetic techniques. These are traditionally known as the hear, see, and do modalities. Dancing has been identified as a powerful educational tool that meets the various needs of the learners. Perceptions, opinions, and feelings are elaborated through the physical aspect of dancing. Since it incorporates the active involvement of the students, dance education is capable of nurturing and fostering the community spirit among the students. Simply put, dancing helps the students in understanding themselves as well as the world around them. It is therefore imperative that dance education be incorporated in the public schools.

Brazil Culture Dancing

Salvador is one of the cities that are well known for the annual street carnival. At this time, the tourists come in large numbers to the city for an impressive version of a traditional celebration that mainly features the samba dancing days, the general atmosphere of glee and excitement, and the decadent parties. In addition to the samba dancers having the floats that have the elaborate costumes, they also carry what looks like largest mobile speakers on the planet and then make their way through the city through a pre-determined route of thousands of people lining in the streets (Silver, n.d). The carnival celebration is colorful with a city that is full of color and music.

In Bahia, the carnival celebration has its own unique mix of music and mayhem that cannot be easily copied as an experience. At this city, the floats flow though the streets in the main parade, on the same process more than two million dancers, musicians and the all-round merrymakers prance thereafter. It is called a celebration of life and that life can give, felt pounding in the chest, the flickering of the eyes across the colorful crowds, and the pulse of the feet that goes in accordance with the beat of samba. The celebration came from a single day where the rich can be able to intermingle with the poor the private clubs cannot be separated from the street side festivities. The utter chaos and the lack of distinction isolate this celebration from other cities (The Carnival Signal, 2003)  .

In Sao Paulo the celebration is different it begins from the day of Friday just before Ash Wednesday and continues to through to Tuesday night. The events range from the free to the outrageously expensive, from the family-friendly to the toxically debauched. The samba schools gather at their sites where they rehearse to watch the aparacao and to get drunk one last time to celebrate their win. Carnival at Sao Paulo is held for five days and marks the beginning of Lent. It is characterized with a noisy festival that is full of excitement and long nights and also it is not easy to be able to see the noise-tolerant Brazilians leaving the city for a more peaceful vacation. At this time the Brazilians will dress in elaborate and colorful costumes to join the carnival. The shops will be stocked full of the feathery costumes, hats, and much more. The samba schools are made up of the composers, dancers, singers, and the percussionists that perform samba during his celebration. One of the distinctions made is that many of them originate from the soccer fan clubs like Gavioes.

Axe music is one of the most popular music that has its origin in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil in the year 1986. It includes some of the influences the afro-Brazilian music such as carixada, Forro, and Frevo. Some of the individuals that enhanced the creation of the music were Alfredo Moura, Luiz Caldas, Sarajane and others (Piers, n.d). This word called axe, came from a religious meeting called Yoruba that means the soul, spirit, light or the vibration. The root of this Axe music was in the guitarra baiana. This is a style of guitar that used the electric guitars to play the pernambucco. This type of music was purely instrumental and it remained up to the time when one of the bands of Novos Baianos went solo.

Ballet and Emotions

 Art has always been linked with the word passion, emotion, outlet and words related to the aforementioned words. Emotions and their forms of facial and bodily expressions have always been important in dance. Emotions manifest themselves in a variety of mediums one of them is dance.  This paper will discuss several emotions and states that people go through and how they stir the imagination, which is integral to Ballet and the other forms of dance.  In the last parts of the paper, a brief history will prove how emotions are essential to the world of Ballet.
   
Joy is the most popular and most well-loved emotion.  It is a welcome emotion for everyone, especially those who have gone through.  It is associated with blissfulness, light-heartedness and playfulness.  When someone is in a joyous state, that person expresses it in fantasy because that person believes that everything can be possibly done.  Nothing is unfathomable or unimaginable to that person.  The same state energizes the imagination and makes it soar greater heights. The joyous person, with his or her energized imagination, may express himself or herself through movement.
   
The imagination is also at work when one is experiencing distress and grief.  In this state, the persons ability to reason is compromised, depending on the degree the mind is in total chaos. People in this state normally feel frustrated and restless.  This frustration and restlessness can released through dance and movement. It can be through dance and movement that the person may achieve peace and order within himself or herself. 
   
Ballet history can prove that emotions play a big role in the development of Ballet. One of the greatest figures in ballet history is Jean Georges Noverre.  He is considered as the Father of Modern Ballet because he significantly reinvented ballet in the 18th century by highlighting all of the most expressive elements of the art of dance as he knew them, and casting them afresh into a vital conception of the ballet daction and raised the art of choreography to new heights of expressive possibilities by examining the nature of human experience in relation to theatrical dance itself (Lee 129).  Noverre molded his dancers into expressive performers and not merely moving robots who can perform steps.  He is one of the major reformers during his time. He lived in a period when European ballet experienced a forceful rebirth to becoming a more expressive art, more human and more linked to the human nature and emotions.
   
Emotions also played an important role when the Golden Age of Romantic Ballet flourished. Romantic art was friendlier to the middle class and was characterized by a passionate striving to discover meaning in human events it also manifested itself through evocations of mysterious and sensuous elements that readily fit popular trends (p.137). Giselle, a Romantic ballet by Jean Coralli and Jules Perrot, is a ballet with intense drama about a peasant girl who falls in love with a nobleman who keeps his aristocracy a secret (Lee 154).  Giselle finds out about it and kills herself.  The nobleman is punished by certain non-human entities but Giselles true and powerful love saves him from death.  Such an intense plot requires profound emotions and acting prowess from the dancers. Up to this day, Giselle is still one of the most popular ballets and the lead character Giselle is the most sought-after character.  An intensely emotional ballet such as Giselle certainly touches the audiences souls. 
   
Ballet development and emotions are related to each other because dance, like any other art, expresses emotion aroused by external stimuli.  The artistic sensibilities of a dancer or choreographer are reflected by his or her emotions. 

Katherine Dunhams Creation of the Dunham Technique

Every aspect of Katherine Dunhams life played a significant part in creating the Dunham Technique. The experiences that Katherine encountered while growing up gave her the platform to pursue a successful life as a dancer and pioneer of her own dance technique. This Technique went beyond the common definition of dance. It was an innovative venture of an individual who had a comprehensive understanding of the creative lengths that go beyond the confinements of culture or society (Gross Samantha, Dancer Katherine Dunham Dies at Age 96 Associated Press Writers June 2006).

One experience, however, which stands out as the main turning point in Dunhams life, which ultimately led her to the creation of her technique, was when in 1935, Dunham had the opportunity to travel to the Caribbean and live amongst the Haitian people (Legg, J., 2008). Having lived in Haiti for long periods at a time, becoming socially and culturally integrated amongst the Haitians, and even being baptized into the Voodoo religion deeply influenced Dunham as an artist (Ebony, Feb 2006, p. 104).

Thereafter, she came back to the United States with new perspectives on both dance and life. From the flexing of the torso and spine, the isolation of the hips and ribs, to the articulated pelvis whirling to the polyrhythmic sounds of the drums, this technique went beyond the common definition of dance in America during the 1940s and 1950s. Dunham had combined the movement she had observed and come to deeply admire in Haiti and combined it with ballet and modern, creating the Dunham Technique(Ebony, Feb 2006, p. 104).

Since she was a child, Katherine Dunham had been known to push boundaries. She was one of the first Black students of the University of Chicago, although she had begun dancing long before she enrolled there to pursue Anthropology and dance (Ebony, Feb 2006, p. 104). This is a clear indication of her love for dance that prompted her brother, Albert Millard Dunham Jr. whom she joined at the University of Chicago, to open a group, Cube Theatre, which would help Katherine improve her performance abilities (Aschenbrenner, Joyce Dancing a Life 2002 pg 22). She wanted to nurture her talent despite the restrictions that would have come up due to her lack of expertise training.

During her life at the University of Chicago, Katherine tried to fight the social boundaries that had been erected for a long time. The University did not inhibit the students creativity and allowed them to undertake whatever projects students felt would boost their outlook towards life and the society at large. It is in relation to this that Katherine did not allow the difference in culture or status in the society to bog her down, and instead, she had a close relationship with her teachers and mentors who encouraged her to take her ability to the next level (Aschenbrenner, Joyce Dancing a Life 2002 pg 23-26).

The young dancer was often bogged down by the racial discrimination which was prevalent at the time in the University in terms of who can learn what and in the world of professional dancers, in terms of who can do what (Allen, Z, 2001, Ebony, Feb 2006). The 1930s was a time when most communities in the world had not embraced the fact that it was possible for individuals with other culturally different backgrounds to fit, and even in certain circumstances, do better than people of the said culture.

Her teachers in the University knew quite well that Katherine Dunham could face prejudices if she pursued the methods that were greatly engraved in the minds of the locals as being for the European and American dancers. They knew that she would be criticized if she wanted to come out on top as the best ballet dancer of that time. Instead her teachers gave her an opportunity to perfect as many styles as she could and come out as an all rounder (Aschenbrenner Joyce, Dancing a Life 2002). Dunhams early dance training in Joliet, IL, included ballet as well as East Indian, Javanese and Balinese dance traditions (Rose, A., 2008)

It was hard for Katherine Dunham despite her profound dancing ability to be accepted as a competent dancer especially with the archaic beliefs that were still strongly held. It was widely established that the African Americans did not possess the dynamism and physique to make a ballet dance come out complete with the arching of the spine and toes (Dunham, K, Kaiso, 2005). This is the reason why Katherine Dunham worked towards creating a style that she could dance to without people criticizing her moves when the spine did not bend as they thought it should or when her hands didnt sway to the set rules of movement all constituted within social boundaries. She must have known that with her own dance style it would be possible to join all these warring social groups. (Aschenbrenner Joyce, Dancing a Life 2002 pg 27).

Katherine did not immediately come up with her technique. She first formed a dancing group to help her gain more expertise. She also went ahead researching about popular dance techniques that were prevalent at the time. In 1935, Katherine Dunham got an opportunity to extend her Anthropological research through sponsorship by the Julius Rosenwald and Guggenheim Foundations. She was given a fellowship grant to go ahead and study the dancing styles of the Caribbean regions of Jamaica, Martinique, Trinidad and Haiti (Dunham, K. Island Possessed, p. 147, Legg, J., 2008). She left to conduct the research in the Caribbean. The study was to involve understanding primitive dancing culture and also the rituals that the communities in the Caribbean countries were conducting (Dunham, K., Island Possessed p. 149).

It was a trying time for her to balance academic sense of anthropology which required her to conduct the research intelligently and her love for the emotive feelings that dance evoked in her (Performing Arts Encyclopedia  The Katherine Dunham Collection, The Library of Congress).

Out of the four countries where she conducted her research, Haiti was the one country in the Caribbean that made an impact in Katherines life as an anthropologist and a dancer. The cultural diversity fascinated her and she wanted to learn more about the Haiti people. Katherine spent her stay in Haiti discovering what influenced the emotive, vigorous dances that the Haitians demonstrated.

Dunham found that of all the Caribbean islands, thepurestforms of African dance were in Haiti. She theorized that this was because Haiti had won its independence as a nation long before any other country had freed its African slaves (Dunham, K., Island Possessed). She knew that there was more to the dancing in Haiti than mere movement. She wanted to learn more about what led to these intense styles and what they represented in the life of the community. The fact that the people were facing colonial supervision and they used dance as a way of expressing their feelings without letting the authority see as if they were down playing them attracted Katherine Dunhams attention (Dunham, K., Island Possessed).

Paula Durbin , a journalist studying Dunhams life wrote Haitians ground their hips, circled their haunches, executed mesmerizing pelvic movements and shrugged, a ritual called zepaules, accenting their shoulders. It was all fundamental African technique, identical to what is done in, say, Dakar, and on which variations persist in African-American communities everywhere, (Americas Magazine, Feb 1996)

The Haitian dancing styles were in essence influenced by the political upheavals the community had encountered. The dances were very vigorous, characterized by a lot of body movements involving the hips, pelvic and shoulders. Dunham fell in love with Haiti and its people, and later bought a home and opened a dance school and medical clinic on the island (Answers.com, Ebony, Feb 2006). She eventually became so engaged in the culture of the island and became such a part of the people there that they accepted her as a part of their island and even admitted her into their practices of the sacred Voodoo relgion. This was a religion that integrated most of the African ways of worship that were brought by the slaves from African countries with the Christian beliefs that the slaves found in the Caribbean country (Wikipedia, Haitian Voodoo, 2010).

She soon became a priestess of this religion and was fascinated by the dances that the Haitians performed as a part of their ritualistic practices (Dunham, K., Island Possessed, University of Chicago Press, 1994, Norment, L., A dance Legend with a mission to service, Ebony Magazine January 1985 pgs 48, 52, 54). With such grounding in the intense dancing culture of the Haitian people Katherine was able to get enough information for her anthropological thesis and in the process craft a dancing technique that incorporated the styles she had learnt in Chicago like Ballet with the styles she discovered in Haiti.

The Dunham Technique was a new thing to the dance world. Everything moved, wrote Durbin in her Americas Magazine article, Shoulderstwitched, torsos arched, hips popped. It intermingled dancing and the beating of African drums which synthesized with the dancers. Martha Graham, the reigning dancing queen of the time as well as the founder of Modern Dance, proclaimed Dunham as the highpriestessof thepelvic girdle.
However, she did not do away with her Ballet training. Instead she brought particular elements of it into her technique (Norment Lynn, A dance Legend with a mission to service Ebony Magazine January 1985 pgs 48, 52, 54). The main characteristics of the Dunham Technique were in the intense movements a dancer had to portray. In the practice sessions, the students would go through a series of exercises to help their bodies become flexible. It was then followed by lessons of the routine her students were supposed to memorize.

Her technique also involved breathing exercises to help the dancers bring out the real emotions, the right feeling exhibited by the Haitian community and the Europe-American Ballet steps, Katherine borrowed from.
The result was an entirely new art form, called the Dunham technique or the Afro-Caribbean dance. In 1940, she formed The Dunham Dance Company, an all-black dance troupe, to perform her technique. The company gave its first show in New York City and performed a revue called Tropics and le Jazz Hot (Allen, Z., 2001). Dunhams LAg YA was another routine which brought out the Katherine Dunham technique. This is a dance she had choreographed for the Federal Theater Project in Chicago. It involved all the aspects of the technique from drummers to the costumes that represent a village kind of setting (Allen, Z., 2001). She brought back the dance styles she had learnt in Haiti and taught it to her community. The stage setting, costumes and movement all borrowed a lot from her encounter in the Caribbean country.

The Dunham Technique has many styles under it which all require a good understanding that energy is important in making the right moves. The shango is a perfect example of what emotive vigorous dancing is all about. It needs energy to arch the spine and ground the hips as recommended (Dunham, K., Library of Congress). The Dunham method represented the coming together of the popular Western dancing styles with the Voodoo ritual and other dancing methods common in the Caribbean Nations (Ebony Magazine The Legendary Dunham Katherine February 2006 pg 102-106). Dunham brought out the idea that it is possible to innovate what an individual has and wants to share with the world. She had the ability and vehemently went out to seek a way of achieving her dream without following the same old set of methods established by society and societal norms and discovered that the world was full of unresearched techniques and unchartered territories.

Katherine tried to unite all social classes in the society by showing that it was possible to share a stage and even a dance style without making one party feel inferior or superior. Katherine Dunhams creative style was good enough to fight the social segregation that people showed and at the same time was instrumental for her to state her view on all matters by choreographing dances that explained her political stand on issues. (Allen, Z., 2001)

It is because of this relentless effort that she left a dance legacy and was awarded multiple times throughout her life. Her title as the Matriarch and Queen Mother of Black Dance would always stand testimony to the hard work and innovation she had brought about to the global dancing scene. (Dunham, K., Veve A. Clark and Sarah East Johnson Kaiso Writings by and about Katherine Dunham Madison University of Wisconsin, 2005)

Dance in Education

Education is important in the growth and development of children. Education is continuum that cuts across the whole span of life but intensive education takes place during early years of life. The aim of any education is to foster wholesome growth including intellectual, spiritual, physical, and emotional growth.  A good education system should be able to meet the physical, intellectual, cultural, emotional, and spiritual needs of students. However, developing an education system that meets these needs has been challenging and our education system has been undergoing changes over the years.  During the education reforms that started in 1980s, there were calls to implement changes in different spheres of education to meet the changing needs of the job market.  Over the years, dance has emerged as one of the most important component of education. Historical records show that dance has been recognized as an important activity that fosters physical, emotional, and intellectual growth. There have been calls to integrate dance as a core subject in our education system. It is believed that dance promotes personal emotional and physical growth, technical skills, relax, and relieve stress related to education and real life situation, and helps to create unison between the mind and the body. This study looks into the prospects of integrating dance in education.

Dance in education
Creative dance is a form of dance that is usually taught in elementary schools. This form of dance differs from others in the sense that this form does not require many years of training. It is made of simple movements that do not require great efforts to master but mainly aimed at harmonizing the movements between the body and the mind (Bergmann 157).  Creative dance is mainly composed of elements of movements which tend to express thoughts and feelings.  Creative dance is perceived to be an interpretation of childs ideas, feelings, and sensory expressions. These interpretations are expressed through body movements that encompass unique movement of body parts.  Creative dance may be created by an idea from the instructor or through use of a stimulus like music, poem, and others.
However, creative dancing is viewed as a form of art.  This means that like other arts, it has its aesthetic values. It is how the student moves in line with these aesthetic values, as emphasized by Laban (98), which stimulates the learning process.

The development of dance education within the mainstream education curricula has been a long journey. Dance education movement, in the United States started way back with 1980s education reforms that called for inclusion of engaging and integrating ways of delivering curricula. Dance was identified as one of the interdisciplinary curricula that could play a key role in the learning environment (Carr 70).  However, analysts argue that dance is underutilized resource that could be playing a major role in education reforms and change the learning environment completely.

Dance was identified as a core subject in learning and together with music, theater and visual arts, it was included in bipartisan education reform legislation, Goals 2000 Education America Act (1994) (Hanna 59). For a long time, dance has been considered as a part time activity and only those who were interested, talented and those who could afford had access to dance.  For example, Ballet has been taught to handful of students who could afford lessons offered in studios or school of arts.  It is evident that dance education is not cheap as it requires intensive daily classes which mean increased cost for the student and the school.

A report on arts education prepared by the National Endowment for Arts, 1988, laid down the framework for inclusion of dance in education as a core subject.  The report put forward rationale and legitimacy why dance should be an integral part of K-12 arts education (Hanna 60).  According to the report, dance is not just dancing but plays other important roles like physical fitness, development of technical skills, self expression, and provides a therapeutic avenue for escaping other the demanding intellectual work and hence relaxing the mind.  The report showed that dance is a meaningful way of counteracting education and real life stress which weighs heavily on student performance.  In additional, dance also provide clear understanding of civilization, assist student to develop creativity, acts as a medium or tool for communication,  and helps students to develop judgment in reference to images which are powerful methods of learning (Fiske 38).  Moreover, dance provides and avenue for subject integration.

The ensuing education reforms are calling for instituting better ways of teaching students.  The new vision in teaching encourages methods which involves student in the learning process in a way that they also enjoy learning (Graham 72).  Dance has been recognized as one of the engaging, constructive, and active approach to meet the changing needs of education.  Research findings shows that the best way to assist students in learning is one which assist students to connect more than one subject.  The strongest way for students to learn is through images. Images form the core of learning as they evoke thoughts and also activate mind capacities. They assist in optimizing all what a student can learn.

Teachers are in a better position to use dance as a unique way of integrating teaching and learning in the curriculum (Fiske 59).  This means that dance integrate well with other curricula subjects. Connecting dance and learning to real life activities makes other curricula subjects compelling and interesting to students.  Dance is important in learning as it enhances learning integrated with other subjects.  Dance should therefore be emphasized in education as a part of interdisciplinary learning.

The role of dance in education has been appreciated in work of many scholars. German educator, Friedrich Froebel who came up with the concept of kindergarten believed that physical education was important for child growth and development.   He asserted that physical activity helped in stimulation of mind and the body to work in unison and hence foster growth and development. Another 20th century scholar, Swiss musician Emile Jaques-Dalcroze developed eurhythmics, a dance exercise that was mainly based on spontaneous body rhythms which were believed to draw synchronous mental rhythms (Hanna 54). He transformed music rhythms into dance and the resultant body movements were transformed to music again.

Rudolf Laban, who was a known dancer and educator, is credited with having developed stimulus for dance education movement.  He developed Labanotation which was to become an integral part of physical education and has been used for a long time in teaching creative movements and analyzing dance movements (Hanna 55).  Laban (137) is also credited for having systematized dance education through structures. He asserted that students needs to understand body movement, (what moves), space (where body moves), dynamic (how body moves), and the relationship al all these structures.

In United States, earlier scholars like HDoubler showed how dance can be used to express emotions. She believed that dance is a part of human development and contributed in various facets of development, both physical and emotional.  She showed that dance stimulate creativity, which is an important element of any education process.  Her work reaffirmed the importance of dance in education as a part of whole human growth. The goal of any education is to foster whole human growth and this call for multidisciplinary approach, where dance is central to integrating all these approaches.

John Dewey was a 20th century philosopher who emphasized the importance of dance in education settings (Hanna 57).  Dewey showed that children learn better by doing. He contemplated the notion of action as a test of comprehension where he showed that physical health stimulates mental activity. Dewey was a critic of child centered model of learning that left student will little time for physical activity.

His work was further emphasized by Jean Piaget who showed the process of learning in children.  Jean argued that children tend to learn their world in a concrete manner and he recognized how children physically express thoughts and ideas (Hanna 57). This elicited the need to give children a chance to learn about and through dance.  Since then, there has been a lot of research work that has emphasized the importance of dance in learning including Howard Gardners theory of multiple intelligences which supports the existence of different intelligences that need to be taken care of in education (Hanna 58).

Howard Gardner work on multiple intelligences has been a focal point of education.  His theory has gained widespread acceptance in education circles. In his theory, dance is posited to be body-kinesthetic intelligences and also cognitive skills. This implies that dance should not be taken only as a physical activity but also a way of knowing and something that students need to know about (Hanna 58). Dance stimulates cognitive growth and also addresses the concerns for motor activity and inner expression of emotions.
Gardners work was expounded by David Perkins who argued that dance can help in transfer of skills and knowledge from one core subject to another (Hanna 58).  Perkins stressed the potential reverberation of dance education showing that it is core to transferability of knowledge and skills between subjects.

In her work on Taking Root to Fly Articles on Functional Anatomy, Dowd (39) assist the reader to understand how dance and education are related.  In this poetic work, Dowd (53) shows how anatomy of movement is related to individuals whole growth. She uses functional anatomy to refer to a set of body-alignment practices which can be related to Alexander Technique referred to as Feldenkrais method. This was an ancient method of meditative mindful movement that encompassed ecstatic dance.  Unlike the current western view that shows how mind command the body, Dowd (87) gives complete interpenetration of the relationship between mind and body. She takes time to make the reader understand mind and body unity as inspired by activities like dance, physical sports, and others.  

According to Dow (60) movements like dance or other physical activities are vital for mind and body development. Uniform movements helps to connect the mind and the body so that they function as once. This framework has been used in understanding the role of dance in education. In broader perspectives, education is perceived as wholesome growth of the body. This means that education should not only foster intellectual growth but also physical growth as well.

This premise is also clearly illustrated in a study by Pelc (847) who looked at the value of dace movement in psychomotor development.  This study was aimed at understand how aesthetic education through dance could influence socialization of a deaf person. The study verified the effectiveness of dance theatre in J. KorcZak Special Training and Education Center through diagnostic soundings. The study used sound materials like chronicles, press articles, and interviews with instructors. Young deaf people were recruited to participate in the dance practices and they seemed to take it with pleasures and their motivation to participate in the dancing activities was considered mature. 70 participated in the dance because they loved to dance, 20 participated due to instructors engagement, while 10 participated for health aspect.  The effectiveness of the therapy was pegged on the how long student participated in the dance group activities. The study revealed that students who had participated in the dance for a longer time, 70 for 3 years, 20 for 1 year, and 10 for 2 years, showed mature outlook in life and 80 had better grades.  They were also able to initiate conversation with other people easily as given by their instructor.  Participants also became self consciousness through relaxation (50) and decision making (15). It was only 5 of the participants felt tired and fed up with dance practices.

The above study showed that dance plays an important role in psychomotor development. Dance relaxes the mind and creates unison between the mind and the body. In the study, it was revealed that 80 of the students, who participated in dance groups, though deaf and hence not able to recognize sound but only dance movements, recorded improved grades and had a positive outlook of life. 

According to Tsompanaki and Tsompanaki (16) dance is an important part of education and teachers have to be aware of the role of dance in multifunctional cultivation of personality that can be achieved mainly through interpersonal communication.  They showed that dance is an art that mainly leads children to actions and in the process it provokes creativity, imagination, intuition, and awareness.  This emphasizes problem solving and decision making methods and skills that assist students to learn different ways they can use to express their thoughts and emotions.  Through dance, students learn to accept the differences in communication, cultural values, and in the process learn how to cooperate and harmonize their body and mind.  Therefore, Tsompanaki and Tsompanaki (19) asserts that dance in education and curriculum results from aesthetic cultivation and this can only be achieved when dance enters into the  education curriculums.

Dance has been recognized as an important part of education system. Historical records show that dance has developed a long different continuum to gain acceptance in elementary education. Creative dance, which is used in education, differs from other forms of dances in the sense that it does not encompass complex movements that takes years of practice to perfect. It is made of unique simple movements which assists students to express ideas. Research shows that dance play important part in learning. Dance stimulates creativity, which is important in learning. Dance helps to stimulate the relationship between mind and body. Uniform movements in creative dances stimulate the unison between body and mind, making learning interesting and meaningful. Based on this theoretical framework, dance is being accepted as core subject in education curriculum. However, there are major challenges to overcome if dance is to gain meaningful role in education.

Expression of the African American Evolution of Dance

On February 27, 2010 I turned up the car radio and headed for the Sprenger Theater in Washington D.C. at 1333 H St. NE. with an open mind and an eagerness to be inspired.  Being somewhat familiar with the work of Body Moves Contemporary Dance Company, I knew that I could anticipate a well-prepared and thoughtful concert performance.  I was right.  And, I was inspired.

The dance event was hosted by ATLAS, a premier performing arts center, in conjunction with the Intersections Art Festival.  The festival, itself, was a collision of multi-disciplinary arts celebrating the beauty in cross-cultural differences and commonalities.  The performance I experienced commemorated the evolution of African dance through various styles spanning several generations  from the early tribal genre to modern day hip hop.

The choreographers for this piece were able to create a magical and transporting history of African dance.  The stage lit up as a living story of the genres progression in movement with each stage of development bearing its own particular grace and strength.  The nature of this type of performance demanded a fairly extensive range of its young dancers, most of them females between the ages of six and seventeen.  But, for the most

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part, they were able to deliver a convincing presentation despite their less than professionally-polished experience.  Their dedication to the work was obvious and their love of dance overcame any of my qualms with technicality.

But, the young dancers message didnt stop at a mere history lesson  they were also celebrating the desegregation of the African American community in the United States.  The performance wasnt just a look at where weve been it was a victorious declaration of how far weve come.

After centuries of the gross injustice of inequality, minorities across the country have come to enjoy their rightful place in society as equals.  In fact, in stark contrast to past inequities, discrimination is not only an ethical offense  its a punishable crime.  Decades of freedom speech, persistence and moral education from leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, whom we honor each year as a nation, has helped shape our country in a very positive and enduring way.  Its amazing to consider that only forty years after his death, the highest post in our country, the country Dr. King loved, is now held by a member of the African American community. 

The scenes of the companys performance reflected the story of this incredible process, beginning in the land of Africa before the institution of a cross-country slave trade.  The first scene, the first dance showcased the traditional tribal style with a pureness, joy and underlying nobility of graceful movement.  However, the dance continued as did history- to a darker place. 

During the years depicting the unjust humiliation and demoralization of slavery, the choreography went to a slower, markedly sadder place.  There was beauty in it, but no

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uplifting energy. Their very limbs seemed burdened with the weight of mistreatment.  However as in history- this sad note did not last forever.  It gave way to exuberance as the dancers portrayed the jubilee of liberation and shared civil rights.  The weights burdening their limbs and their dance, was lifted.  The stage came alive again with humor, acrobatic feats and the palpable spirit of achievement.
It is this spirit of achievement after centuries of struggle that was most communicated through the performance, especially highlighting the period between the 15th and 20th centuries.  Within the framework of this context, themes such as artistic expression, slavery, resistance, oppression and the civil rights movement were explored and given meaning through movement.

Each scene expressed a different feeling and employed a different style of movement, which made the performance, as a whole, engaging and diverse.  But, the overall and cohesive visual image of the work comprised memorable stage visuals reflecting the culture, garb and customs of the African American community. 

Another cohesive element on the ever-evolving stage was collective movement in group dance.  (Although, most of the scenes involved collective, group movement, a few scenes did feature a solo dancer exhibiting a specific dance style.)  Some of these collective moments were executed at a speedy tempo, including magnificent stunts, such as jumps and impressive feats of flexibility.  Other times, the movements were carried at a slower tempo with deep emotional content.  Every now and then, the acting skills of certain dancers were called upon as they shouted their declaration of resistance against the surrounding injustice of their staged circumstances.

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The dance, itself, was easily interpreted in terms of historical context, but was more complex in its emotional content.  For example, the lack of compassion and empathy towards children during the time of slavery by their oppressors, was clearly expressed through the story of the dance.  However, the hostility felt by these circumstances was more subtly communicated by the style and energy of the choreography, which was both aggressive, reactive and sharp. 

Another strong emotion asserted was humility.  As the dignity of the human creature was stripped and defrauded, the slave-dancers moved with exaggeratedly slow, almost lethargic, animation.  This sense of unmotivated, hopelessness stood in high contrast to the emotional portrayal of dignity, where the dancers stood firm and swayed in physical unity. They also performed elaborate stunts that required collaborative effort for success.  There was an undeniable strength in these choreographed bits that depicted a unity and a harmony that painted a beautiful portrait of true brotherhood  at its best.  As one, they stayed together and they stayed attached to their culture, which later, led the African American community to influence art and dance in the United States with such a powerful voice.

The story of the African Americans rich history and culture, through its years of oppression and eventual liberation is an inspiring one.  It speaks of human dignity, brotherhood, perseverance and hope and it has produced moving art reflecting those immense themes.  I drove to the Sprenger Theater anticipating inspiration and I found it in the touching depiction of a cultures plight from freedom, to enslavement and then, with time, back to its glorious and rightful- place to freedom.

Theodore S. Gonzalves

The Day the Dancers Stayed by Theodore S. Gonzalves is a piece that deeply commemorates the artistic and intellectual value of Filipino cultural shows. The article carefully and brilliantly expresses the craft, aesthetics, purpose and the historical background of the cultural show. It effectively shows how the dance demonstrates the evidence that Filipino culture is close and intertwined with the American heritage. In many ways, Gonzalves demonstrated through his article the effects of the American policies in the past on the Filipino way of life.

The experience of Filipinos during the American occupation of the Philippines became a great part in the formation of an aesthetic culture that eventually evolved to be a masterpiece being proudly announced to the whole world. The Filipino cultural shows are evidence of the peoples pride on their culture, tradition and rich history. It is a way of connecting to the international public and making them aware of the beauty that lies in the Philippines and within each Filipino. One very significant realization that Theodore S. Gonzalves stated in the article was that the Pilipino Cultural Nights being presented and performed at American school campuses and communities have become a symbol of pride and national heritage.
  
Gonzalves article is a very good evidence of how cultural shows capsules the rich past of people. Regardless of what race and country the cultural shows may have originated, the main idea is still the same  it is beautiful because it represents history. There is nothing in history that is not interesting. Although it undeniable that people from all over the world have different belief systems and follow different philosophies, the fact that everyone is connected to one another in one way or another cannot be denied. Cultural shows are medium that reflects the truth that people around the world have commonalities. These commonalities may not be in the form of art and language commonalities may be in the form of feelings and emotions.
  
Cultural shows are important because they empower people and serve as a ground for the people to present themselves. Shows like such are todays connection to the past. What is so great about these shows is that they educate the members of other cultures about the past of a country. Hence, cultural shows promote not only awareness in art but also peace and understanding among races. Understanding a race and its culture is vital in the building of relationships with its people. There are only few communities in the world that can be considered pure in terms of tradition. Each society is a product of a long history of hardship, friendship and relationship with neighboring communities. The complicated long run of history as aforementioned is shortened and presented in a very artistic manner by cultural shows.

Furthermore, cultural shows do not only show art and history they show emotions. There are always underlying emotions behind the beauty of each dance step and rhythm of a song. Thus, cultural shows are ways of communication between cultures and races. Each show is beautiful because it amicably opens a tradition and aims to connect with the viewers to promote friendship and understanding. Its goal is not just to impress the audience with the great music and enchanting movements it seeks to touch hearts and souls. Its like a visitor in a foreign land introducing itself and its good intentions.

To put it simply, cultural shows are peoples way of inviting others to come and understand their heritage. They promote art and broaden the peoples appreciation of aesthetics. Equally important are the aim of cultural shows to encourage understanding between races and the promotion of awareness that people of the world are related to each other in one way or another. Hence, there is no need for any kind of conflict.