Dance existed in America long before Europeans came to this continent, as Native Americans incorporated dance into spiritual rituals. Throughout the colonial period, settlers from different parts of Europe brought their folk dances to their new homes and Africans preserved their traditions as well. Eventually, all these sources combined and mixed in new ways and added the influences of our changing society. Today, American dance includes ballet, modern dance troupes, jazz, and hip-hop. Social dancing ranges from the waltz to the fox trot to the jitterbug and beyond to the forms that grew up with rock and roll.
Whatever it looks like, dance is a form of emotional expression. Dancers may be moved by sorrow, religious fervor, or the joy that Friday has come at last. Children are natural dancers. Think of a toddler’s response to music. There’s a lot of jumping and jigging and spinning going on. While it’s not structured, it’s dance.
Dance Classes
Children old enough to participate in a group benefit greatly from dance classes in a variety of ways. The physical benefits may be obvious: increased range of motion, coordination, strength, and overall fitness are among them.
Dance involves movement patterns, and one of the most important benefits for children is an awareness of these patterns. Why? The ability to recognize patterns is an inherent part of learning such academic skills as arithmetic, reading, and spelling. Remember your early lessons of “cat, bat, rat, sat”? That’s a pattern, as is counting by twos, fives, and tens.
As with gymnastics classes, dance sessions also allow kids to work on their social skills, although they don’t see it that way. They think they’re having fun as they listen to instructions and interact with peers. Learning how to cooperate in a group here will help with those group projects in school and, later, on the job.
Emotional Expression
Perhaps the greatest benefit of participating in dance classes has to do with emotional expression. Even in a structured class and dance routine, each dancer brings their own interpretation to the performance. For kids who have trouble managing their feelings, dance can provide an appropriate and constructive outlet for that emotional energy.
So be sure to celebrate dance on July 30th as we honor the contributions to our cultural heritage made by America’s dancers and choreographers!
No comments:
Post a Comment