Changing the Public Perception
of Dance in Education: Some
Ideas & Suggestions
Sandra Minton, Ph. D.
Professor Emeritus
University of Northern
Colorado
We can alter common
perceptions of dance by . . .
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Changing how the public thinks
about dance & its benefits
Altering the image that the public
has of dance
First who or what is the public?
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Teachers
School administrators
Parents
Politicians
People in general
Many think that dance is:
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Just for having fun
For being sexy or sensual
For women & little girls
For learning steps & tricks
Or that dance is just ballet, tap &
hip hop
Other ways to change the
perception of dance . . .
Because dance can . . .
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Exercise the brain
Be used to solve problems
Discover one’s self
Be a tool in non-verbal communication
Contribute to interdisciplinary teaching
Bridge the gender divide in education
Be combined with technology
Dance can exercise the
brain by . . .
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Simply moving brings an increased
blood flow to the brain.
Moving also involves lower brain
centers like the cerebellum.
In technique class dance
exercises the brain . . .
Because students learn to
 Focus
 Observe
 Recognize patterns
 Remember
 And develop body awareness
Dancing also activates the brain
during improvisation.
This leads to . . .
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Greater versatility
Quick decision making
And interpersonal spatial awareness
And in dance composition class
students exercise the brain by. . .
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Giving order to their movements
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Forming movement patterns
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Making movement choices
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Thinking abstractly to create movement
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Synthesizing by combing movements together in dances
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Becoming socially aware when creating group dances
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Reflecting on & discussing their dances
Creating dances also increases
students’ . . .
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Problem-solving abilities - When a dance is created
a problem is solved.
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Imagination - Students have to visualize how parts
of a dance will look ahead of time.
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Creativity - When students create dances they
learn about creative process & become more
confident with this process.
Self-esteem & satisfaction - Students gain feelings
of accomplishment when they create a dance.
Research connecting creative
thinking & dance . . .
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Ludwig, 1971
Heausler, 1987
Zhao, 1989
Jay, 1995
Mentzer & Boswell,
1995
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Elliott, 1997
Kim, 1998
Cote-Laurence, 1998
Minton, 2003
Minton, 2007
Full references are
available upon request.
Research connecting self-esteem
& dance . . .
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Alves-Masters, 1979
Riley, 1984
Kamal & Blais, 1995
Stinson, 1993
Koff, 1996
Minton, 2001
Minton, 2007
Full references are available upon request.
Another point about connecting
creativity & self-esteem . . .
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Dance classes which included creative
work also had a somewhat greater effect
on student self-esteem.
This was especially true for social selfesteem (Minton, 2001).
Full reference available upon request.
Why is teaching creative
problem-solving important?
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Such skills will be needed in the 21st
Century because . . .
For the US to maintain a competitive edge,
corporations will need employees who are
communicators and problem-solvers -Richard Gurin, former director Binney &
Smith, 1995
Dance is nonverbal
communication too because . . .
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It communicates about the customs
& culture of a country
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Transcends differences in language
& politics
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Conveys feelings & emotions
Dance can also be used in
interdisciplinary learning . . .
Because it relates to educational
theories such as . . .
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Active Learning - doing, participating
Zone of Proximal Development - age appropriate
Learning styles - visual, auditory, kinesthetic
Multiple Intelligences - verbal, spatial, musical
Cooperative Learning - working in groups
Brain-Based Learning - forming patterns,
challenging but not threatening, engaging
But dance used as a tool in
interdisciplinary learning . . .
Does not demean dance because
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The beginnings of the creative
process are the same in both cases.
Acquaints students with dance
Dance bridges gender divide by
appealing to differences such as . . .
Girls
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Respond in more
complex way
Verbal communication
Specific to general
Feeling oriented
Better readers
Cooperative learners
Boys
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Enjoy problem-solving
Spatial abilities - maps
General to specific
Fidgety
Better at math
Competitive play
Dance & technology can
be used to . . .
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Extend the realm of dance making
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Teach on-line classes
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Increase interest in dance
Technology & dance making
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Computer generated backgrounds projected on cyc
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Computer generated dancer figures used to create
movements & dances
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Dance performers in diverse locations connected
via the internet
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Technology worn by dancers that transforms
movement into sounds, lighting changes or other
visual effects
Teaching on-line classes . . .
Different approaches
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Face-to-face & on-line
Video & on-line
Totally on-line
Examples of on-line classes
using . . .
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Create movement with computer-generated figures - Iris
Garland, Canada
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Learn composition through on-line theory plus videos Wendy Schiller, Australia
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Study dance appreciation using many interactive
devices - Barbara Hernandez, US
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Study interdisciplinary teaching using
on-line photos & text – Sandra Minton, US
Strategies for the future . . .
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Presenting dance classes based on best practices
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Publishing how to articles & research, especially
in journals outside the field
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Networking with legislators, teachers,
administrators, parents, departments of education,
those in other arts
Presenting workshops, particularly those for
teachers & others outside the field