‘Nobody cares if you can’t dance well. Just get up and dance. Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion.’ – Martha Graham, American modern dancer & choreographer
Journal entry #8
The semester has gone by so quickly so far! We’ve already been here for eight weeks, actually nine weeks if you count our Montessori botany course week. Its hard to believe that next week our two week practicum will be starting. I am excited to try out some ideas that we’ve been learning in class. I wonder how the more theoretically ideas will transfer over into a real classroom. Hopefully by the end of the two weeks I can get a better grasp on my students and their abilities and likes in PE.
The theme of this week’s class was dance, a subject that I am not super familiar with. However, I have always enjoyed dancing even though I have never really learned it in a formalized way. According to PHE Canada ‘as a distinct mode of knowing, dance is a catalyst for wondering, imagining, exploring, and learning that is mediated through socio-emotional and bodily-kinesthetic processes’. There are many things students can gain from dance classes, whether it is creative, social or physical. It can be a collaborative or individual expression, and it is perfect for students of all abilities. Dance is a naturally inclusive activity, and extremely social.
We spent most of the class learning a traditional Greek dance. Not only was the dance fun to do, it was physically challenging. There was a lot of foot work as well as coordination which made it a great aerobic exercise. Moreover, it was interesting to learn about another culture through the lens of dance. The student who taught us the dance is Greek-Canadian and explained the situations in which it is performed – weddings, parties, festivals. Dance in Greece is important historically (i.e. fertility dances), but still relevant today. I would love to one day travel to Greece and dance!
