Books: Curriculum Companions
Jazz technique, dance appreciation and the latest in dance education research
Dance: Current Selected Research, Volume 7
edited by Lynnette Young Overby and Billie Lepczyk
AMS Press, Inc.
In a nutshell: Educators share their latest research.
Edited by esteemed dance professors Lynette Young Overby and Billie Lepczyk, this collection of dance studies includes papers written by 10 prominent dance educators: Ciane Fernandes discusses composition using Laban/Bartenieff Movement Analysis; Teresa L. Heiland examines the benefits of using Motif Notation to create a national dance literacy plan; Lepczyk analyzes Cecchetti’s Seven Movements in Dancing through the Laban perspective; Martha Eddy reports on the role of dance within K–12 violence-prevention programs; Mila Parrish investigates technology and dance; and more.
Exploring Dance Forms and Styles: A Guide to Concert, World, Social, and Historical Dance
by Helene Scheff, Marty Sprague and Susan McGreevy-Nichols
Human Kinetics
In a nutshell: A tool for introducing dance into the classroom.
Created by three National Dance Education Organization veterans, this 344-page paperback is a resource for teaching dance appreciation in K–12. Included is a DVD with 39 dance performances, 60 printable student worksheets and 60 fact sheets for teachers that highlight background information, teaching tips, fun details and additional resources. Students will gain a deeper understanding of the basic dance forms and styles, while sharpening their critical and creative thinking skills. Educators can teach the material at their own pace, or in four suggested units: concert, world, social and historical dance.
Jazz Dance 1: Technique & Syllabus
by James Robey
www.robeyjazzdance.com
In a nutshell: Complete curriculum for beginning jazz class.
James Robey, director of the Ridgefield Conservatory of Dance, organized this 36-week syllabus to help students ages 7 and older grasp traditional jazz-dance steps. Each of the six master lessons includes instructional exercise cards with movement counts and teaching tips. Dancers will learn the correct technique, body placement, weight changes and expressions for jazz chassés, pivot turns, front hitch kicks, truck jumps, flea hops and more. A handy support manual provides corresponding vocabulary, historical information on legendary jazz figures (Jack Cole, Matt Mattox, Luigi and Gus Giordano) plus illustrative photos for basic jazz positions. Robey includes advice on structuring course goals and managing class time, and he encourages teachers to pace the lessons. “More and faster isn’t always best for still-developing preteen dancers,” he writes.
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Photos by Emily Giacalone
