The purpose of this qualitative study is to examine whether engagement in a serious leisure activity provided older adults opportunities for successful aging. Data were collected through in-depth interviews at shag dance festivals in North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. To provide structure for the interview, a general interview guide consisting of…

This book, recognized as a most complete and accurate dictionary-glossary-encyclopedia-thesaurus on dancing-with-a-partner, defines and enumerates names, words, and terms with their relation to coupledancing, offering data and suggestions for making coupledancing easier, more graceful, and fun. It targets couples who dance together in any mode,…

Separating theoretical knowledge from practical knowledge and from direct engagement with dance is limiting and distorts nature of dance. The challenge is to demonstrate how rationality of subject works, show progress from intention to action in creating and performing dances, articulate purposes of making and performing a work, identify…

Photography should be regarded as an art rather than as passive documentation. Those interested in photographing dance can best think of it as an opportunity not just to record what the dancer is doing, but also to explore the dancer's personality and to stimulate the invention of movement. This exploratory approach will not only benefit the…

Recent research about sexuality and dance has begun to address the needs of gay male dancers, yet the needs of lesbian dancers have remained mostly absent from scholarly discourse. Exploring the lesbian lacunae, or invisible spaces of dance education, reveals the personal, political, and pedagogical implications of their existence within the dance…

This paper acknowledges the importance of a dancer's centre but likewise highlights the problematic nature of the communication of this concept from dance teacher to student. After a brief introduction of orthodox approaches in finding centre, this paper suggests a method of locating centre through the ancient somatic technique.

The "Foundations" (English/language arts, mathematics, social emotional skills, approaches to play and learning, science, social studies, creative arts, and physical health and growth) are Indiana's early learning development framework and are aligned to the 2014 Indiana Academic Standards. This framework provides core elements that…

Students, during the ages 11 years old to 13 years old ("tweens"), experience a growing desire to think and act independently while caring deeply about being accepted by the group. Tweens may feel vulnerable and self-conscious during the many changes that occur during puberty. These feelings can lead tweens to doubt their abilities and disengage…

Much of what happens in primary classrooms reflects a number of rituals and routines that have largely become an unconscious part of teachers' repertoires. While these "rituals of practice" provide a framework or structure to learning in classrooms, they are often left unexamined. These taken-for-granted ways of teaching require close…

Over the last decades more and more research has analysed relatively new or rediscovered teaching-learning concepts like blended, hybrid, multi-sensory or technologically enhanced learning. This increased interest in these educational forms can be explained by new exciting discoveries in brain research and cognitive psychology, as well as by the…

The American Square Dance became the official National Folk Dance of America by an act of Congress in 1982. Although the square dance contains some elements similar to the New England Quadrille, the Kentucky Running Set is thought to be the true foundation for its movements and configurations. The Running Set has been traced back to the source of…

Dance as an art form is transformational to body, mind, and spirit. The author opines that public education would do just fine if dance was the "only" subject taught. This article presents the author's reflection on progress of dance in K-12 education. The author contends that progress in dance in K-12 education can perhaps be judged by the fact…

For many years, the author has incorporated creative process into the way she teaches ballet class. The author shares the philosophical, practical, and artistic reasons for the creative process in ballet classes. She also shares the rationale and how this practice developed over time.

````````Incorporation of an experiential anatomy component into the modern technique class educates students about the body in a way that permanently and positively impacts how they move. It is our responsibility as dance educators, whether at the elementary, secondary, or college level, to teach students how to care for their bodies and make…

This essay explores factors influencing high-quality teaching in dance. The author argues that deficiencies in the skills needed to teach the content of dance (i.e., pedagogical knowledge) pose a bigger threat to effective instruction than familiarity with the subject being taught (i.e., content knowledge). The process of learning to teach not…