Slightly off-balance: learning how to teach anatomical awareness in a dance classroom

Abstract

This article provides an example of teacher research conducted by a dance educator at an elite independent boarding school in the Northeastern USA. The research was conducted during the second year of a two-year master’s degree program at a large Northeastern university and the article is co-written by the former master’s student/teaching fellow and her instructor for the research methods course at the university. By investigating the impact of bringing rest and imagery into her dance classroom (techniques drawn from somatic practice), the teaching fellow learned how to teach anatomical awareness to her high school students and to help them apply anatomy concepts to their ballet technique. Through this process, she also learned the importance of maintaining an inquiry stance on her teaching practice. This article provides important insights for other dance teachers, teacher educators, and any educator interested in practitioner research.