Guest Blog: The Importance of Creative Movement

One of our classes this semester focuses on the art of teaching creative movement, taught by Deborah Damast, program coordinator of the Dance Education Program at NYU. While Damast has a lot of helpful practical advice to share about ideas and classroom management, one of our initial topics of discussion had to do with why creative movement matters.

When a principal, teacher, or parent walks into a room and sees 20 children rolling around on the floor and then leaping for the sky (learning about level changes), or jumping about like frogs (in a role-playing improvisation activity), they might not always understand what’s going on. That’s why Damast offered up several responses as to why this type of movement – often a precursor to formal ballet/tap/jazz classes – is so very important:

-       Focusing the mind,
-       Creating community,
-       Assisting with children’s cognitive and motor skill development,
-       Preparing muscles and joints for later activity,
-       Developing aerobic capacity and impulse control,
-       Introducing movement themes and body awareness,
-       Building vocabulary and literacy, as well as problem-solving skills,
-       Increasing interpersonal skills,
-       Acting as an expressive outlet,
-       Introducing and instilling class rules and etiquette,
-       Helping develop strength and flexibility,
-       Helping schools meet arts enrichment requirements.

So the next time someone questions you about what you are doing with your students  or why their child needs to be enrolled in creative movement, you now have several different reasons to illustrate its importance. And don’t forget – creative movement certainly isn’t limited to tiny tots – it can be done by anyone of any age.

Coming next week: Some creative movement activity ideas to try out.

Hannah Guruianu is a master's degree candidate in dance education at New York University. She is a freelance writer and editor, flamenco student, and someday hopes to own her own studio. Before returning to school, she was the features editor at the newspaper in Binghamton, New York, and taught ballet classes at a local studio and community college.