Pedagogy

http://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=dance+technique+pedagogy&docid=4566809884690923&mid=F5DF73572FCF59EB8C24F5DF73572FCF59EB8C24&view=detail&FORM=VIRE4#

I came across this really interesting discussion on Youtube about dance technique in a pedagogy which I wanted to share.  In it it revealed some really interesting observations and thoughts that I have a lot in my head about the impact of pedagogy from a teaching context and given that I teach mainly young people the post raised some questions and observations about how as dancers some of us but not all find it difficult to ask questions and learn by watching only or if there is a conundrum when learning a phrase or movement, the reluctance to ask questions in order to understand the process.  I have often found this as the case when teaching particularly contemporary technique to my students and on a few occasions I always make sure that I ask the students or design a phraseso that they  feel relaxed and comfortable to ask or comment   and not feel limited by what they say or observe for themselves in their own bodies and that any question yields an answer - it doesn't matter if it is right or wrong. By observing  I get an insight through their questioning about how they learn and absorb movement.  There have been times when this approach works, but not always and I wonder if this is dependent upon how a student is feeling at that moment and how present they are.

From a pedagogical standpoint I was interested and still am as I re-learn, rediscover the move away from the 'how to do it and hope that I've got it ' in favour of the 'why? consider? feel? a body dialogue I guess.

I thought this would be a good discussion to share! and welcome your comments.  It might be familiar to most but I thought it interesting to open up a conversation and draw it from my mind.   In the clip I liked the split between a dance performer and what they bring to class as an artist vs a dancer who just wishes to take class maintaining the physicality and technique of their bodies - both approaches in some ways different and relevant to the purpose of what they hope to achieve from the class.

Enjoy!