Technological enhancements in the teaching and learning of reflective and creative practice in dance

Abstract

A team of researchers at De Montfort University’s Centre for Excellence in Performance Arts has explored uses of technology in dance education. The wider context of dance and technology pedagogy includes research into dance, technologies, learning and teaching and the relationships between teaching and research. The paper addresses all of these themes. Three pedagogic research projects are reported on. They address dance and technology in terms of: (i) teaching the Alexander Technique for dancers, (ii) improvisation, (iii) interactive practice using the software environment Isadora. Two main themes are highlighted: (1) use of technology as a means of enabling reflection, and (2) technology as a means of both engaging in the creative process and as a creative tool. It is argued that student‐centred autonomous learning in dance can be significantly enhanced by an informed application of technologies.

Keywords:

• Alexander Technique
• choreography
• creative practice
• dance
• improvisation
• interactivity
• Isadora
• pedagogy
• reflective practice
• teaching and learning

Notes

1. Developed by, amongst others, Bannon (2004), Birringer (2003/04), Broadhurst (2006), Butterworth (2004), De Spain (2000), deLahunta (2005), Doughty and Stevens (2002), Lavender and Predock‐Linnell (2001), Popat (2001, 2002).

2. Most of the discussion and research concerns peer observation of lecturers in peer review and appraisal.

3. This radical conception of habit is based on the ideas of F.M. Alexander expounded in his four books Man’s supreme inheritance (1910/1945/1996), Constructive conscious control of the individual (1923/2004), The use of the self (1932/2001) and The universal constant in living (1941/2000).

4. The approach has been outlined in papers by Huxley, Leach and Stevens (1995a and 1995b) and Leach and Stevens (1996).

5. One student reflected that what the project had given her was ‘primarily the ability to implement changes in my, life whether inside or outside the dance studio, by acknowledging the problem of habit and then trying to address it.’

6. Brian Door developed this system of peer observation in his training of teachers of the Alexander Technique where he coined the term ‘using each other as mirrors’. He directed an Alexander Technique training course from 1979 to 2004 during which time it became the training course of the Professional Association of Alexander Teachers. It was Brian Door who first introduced the Technique at Leicester Polytechnic (forerunner of DMU) in 1984 and his book Towards perfect posture has been used as a practical core text since its publication in 2003.

7. One of them summed up the contribution of the project as follows: ‘The use of new technologies is beneficial in a way that it has enabled me as a student to critically evaluate mine and other people’s behaviour better. We could observe each other not only in real time/the moment of action but look back on our behaviour at a later stage and compare each other’s behaviour.’

8. Mark Coniglio is an artist who crosses the disciplines of music, dance, theatre and interactive media. Dubbed an ‘interactive performance pioneer’ by the New York Times, his work has been performed nationally and internationally primarily with Troika Ranch, a New York City‐based performance company committed to creating multidisciplinary works of which he is co‐director with choreographer Dawn Stoppiello.’ (deLahunta 2005, 32) Visit www.troikatronix.com for further information.