How to Engage the Whole Person in the Online/Hybrid Studio

Abstract

There is no going backward to the prototypical frameworks for dance education. The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred ongoing changes in terms of integrating digital platforms into the studio setting, which have been both beneficial and taxing physically and mentally for dance educators and their students. These platforms have been instrumental in keeping students engaged and connected, but Zoom fatigue, among other consequences of increased screen-time, have affected dancers’ kinesthetic intelligence. It is imperative not to lose sight of brain-compatible practices during this time. This article will share tips on how the authors kept students engaged in an online and hybrid studio environment using Anne Green Gilbert’s brain-compatible dance education methodologies as a framework for assignments and activities. We hope these will be useful for future practice.