Task 4d - Literature

Task 4d – Literature

Whilst researching literature I began to unfold new areas of interest around Pressures of the Industry – How this affects a Dancer and how a teacher can recognise/support this. My research includes articles based on the following 3 of points.

1. Dance Teaching

2. Self-esteem/Confidence

3. Pressures of the Industry


I initially was worried I had too much information and no specific inquiry question however after reading a blog by Alice Chambers I felt like I was working in the right direction to eventually end up at my finalised inquiry question. Below is Alice’s blog about the 3 boats which she had discussed in a campus session back in 2012!

The 3 Boats 
“I found the 3 boats hugely helpful at our last campus session. The idea of having 3 boats which start completely separately and then join in the water and start to mix the ideas together to then reach one whole boat when all 3 boats come to the end of the race and meet in the dock at the end and having the idea portrayed as a picture as a visual it really helped me to see my 3 ideas and bring them together to help put my plan into practice. I hope you all found it as helpful as I did and if you weren't there on the day then I hope have explained it well enough for you all.”


Literature

“Dance…has strong effects on physiological and psychological well-being, combining the benefits of physical exercise with heightened sensory awareness, cognitive function, creativity, interpersonal contact and emotional expression – a potent cocktail.” (From ‘The Use of Dance in Child Psychiatry’ (Journal) p. 4, by Rachel Elliott, 1998)

Rachel Elliott a freelance dance artist and Education officer, discusses in this extract that Dance develops numerous human qualities and skills and implies that these qualities and skills are effective for self-confidence/self-esteem. I think the further you develop in Dance the more you will use these skills not only within your dancing but also in your home and social life also. This also supports the idea of Dance being trans-disciniplary as the “cocktail” of these benefits extends out of the studio and into everyday life.

“It is important that you encourage your young child to engage in a variety of social activities so that they can develop good, confident social skills as they are growing up.” (From ‘Overcoming your child’s shyness and social anxiety’ (Book) p.172-3, by Lucy Willetts and Cathy Creswell, 2007).

“If your child is shy, enrolling her in dance can encourage her to reach out to other children her age and help to reduce her anxiety about new people or places. Dance can also alleviate fears related to performing in front of an audience.” (From ‘The Benefits of Dance for Kids’ by Rebecca Lake, 2013).

Both excerpts above refer to confidence, anxiety and self-esteem. Is explores how participating in a social activity such as Dance class supports the development of social skills and interaction with other students. I have already observed this in my own classes and the structure of the Melody Bear teaching we offer for children from as young as 2-3 years of age. Initially the children come into class with the parents; the parents sit, watch and interact with their child alongside the teacher. When the child has become comfortable with the teacher, the other children, the surroundings, and become aware of a routine, their confidence grows and allows them to the following term or year attend without their parents. In fact as I have been observing this in class, it’s remarkable how one day it simply ‘clicks’ with a child and they begin on their own individual dance journey and development.

“Girls, both younger and adolescent, who felt most confident about themselves and their abilities, were more likely to participate in physical activities” (From ‘Physical Activity and Self-esteem in Girls: The Teen years. Melpomene Journal. Pg 19-23. By Lynn, J and Sherri R)

Self-esteem has also been researched further by Lynn, J and Sherri, R. Their studies found that SELF MOTIVATION was the strongest reason why most adolescent girls participate in sport and secondly ENCOURAGEMENT FROM PEERS. This differs from results collated from younger girls whereby SELF MOTIVATION is again the strongest reason why most young girls participate in sport however second to this is their PARENTS.

From this we can see how adolescents begin to draw from their peers for encouragement rather than their parents like they used to when growing up as a child. This is why I believe it is essential that as Peers and Teachers, we are aware of the influence we have on a child/adolescent and their development. We can influence their confidence, self-esteem and willingness to participate.

This is something I feel very passionate about as there is always a tug of war in the world of The Arts as to whether a Teacher is preparing a student for the tough industry that we face when in professional training, or whether they are simply being demoralising. I personally have been in class working on a core exercise and the teacher has shouted. “Come on, no one wants a fat dancer” or “There are a million other dancers looking better than you”. Now for some students that is motivating, for others who may be slightly less stable and unconfident that is only making their self-esteem hit a new rock bottom. Again I stress that it is a tough industry and a dancer is always under scrutiny, particularly in auditions however I question as to whether the Teacher in this instance has gaged the class appropriately for the students. Just because a student does not find motivation from scrutiny it doesn’t in my opinion make them weak or unable to thrive in the industry. Instead of casting them aside, if a teacher was able to boost the student back to their confident self, there is every chance that student will graduate and go and work hard for their dream.

Psychologist Dr Jim Taylor supports my thought “teachers must be sensitive to the individual psychological need of their dancers just as they are to their physical needs, and should use feedback to fit those needs. For example, some dancers respond to positive reinforcement and react negatively to harsh criticism. Others may need pressure to motivate them.” (From ‘The Performing Attitude’ Published in Dance Teacher Now, (1987-91)).

Later in the article, Dr Taylor notes that by “taking time to learn about and understand their students and to meet their needs to the best of their ability, dance instructors can be sure that they have achieved their goal.”

Interestingly, this brings me back to Module 1 and talking about understanding different types of learners and Howard Gardner’s concept of ‘Multiple lenses’. It’s encouraging to see that everything I experienced and learnt in Module 1 has become a foundation to the progression in Module 2. When I reflect back it makes me understand Module 1 a lot more! HINDSIGHT like Pip mentioned in her blog is “a wonderful thing”. 

The quotation above from the journal written by Lynn, J and Sherri, R arises the question…Does self-esteem effect participation? Or does participation effect self-esteem?

My answer to these is it works both ways. If a student is not motivated and unconfident they will not have an interest in participating. However if an unmotivated student did participate research shows that they should develop social and physical skills which all aid to building confidence and motivation. Participation by a motivated and confident student should, from a psychologists view, further increase their existing self-esteem and again develop physical skills. However what happens if a motivated and confident student participates in Dance but then loses their self-confidence and their self-esteem hits rock bottom? Is that the Teachers fault? Should the teacher have picked up on this and reacted in a necessary and suitable way? Is it out of the Teachers hands?

These questions spark my interest as a route to my inquiry.

As I have briefly touched upon the concepts of self-esteem and Dance Teaching, I will now look at the Pressures of the Industry. This will also encompass my previously discussed concepts of self-esteem and teaching approaches as they appear strongly in this topic of conversation.

“Long hours, competitiveness and the drive towards perfection may send susceptible students over the edge” says Sherri Leblanc, retired professional ballerina, in her blog ‘Shaking the blues away’. Here she discusses the link between Dancers and Depression, a suffering which affects 8 to 10% of adolescents and is especially common in post-pubescent girls and gay or bisexual youths, according to the National Association of School Psychologists.

Teachers who are aware of the symptoms and sensitive to the needs of those who suffer can encourage their student’s mental health. Mental illness however can be difficult to spot as it’s often mistaken for typical teen moodiness.

In her blog, Sherri determines the symptoms to look out for. I am going to share these on my blog as I think they could be helpful for anybody working in Teaching. They are:

Withdrawal from social situations (eg sitting alone during rehearsal breaks and between classes)
Tardiness
Fatigue
Disengagement/Apathy
Agitation, Difficulty concentrating
Weight Loss or Gain
Change in appetite and/or sleep habits
Frequent complaints about headaches and/or stomach aches
Becoming easily discouraged
Aggression/Irritability
Signs of self-injury

Although as dancers we are not all trained counsellors, we can provide crucial support for students suffering with depression.

“Difficulty with a movement or step can shake a dancer’s self-esteem” says Kravtiz. “Think about how you can help her through to mastery in a constructive way.” The retired ballerina comments on this quote about how a depressed student can seem like they are just not trying or has a bad attitude…“The behaviour isn’t wilful.” We as teachers must keep that in mind.

“Dancers must regularly monitor their confidence level and be sensitive to changes. Instructors and choreographers must also be alert to this” says psychologist Dr Jim Taylor. This suggests a teachers role in helping dancer’s maintain and develop a high level of confidence is essential. Dr Taylor believes “a loss in confidence usually follow a period of unexpectedly poor dancing and results in depression, irritability and is reflected in severe self-criticism such as “I’ll probably fall” or “I just can’t dance”. These negative evaluations are disruptive both mentally and physically.” This is the pressure dancer’s face throughout their whole journey from studio to stage, from training professional to professional! “Because of a Teacher’s knowledge and authority, dancers look to them for a pat on the back” he continues. From this, I support that as a Teacher we must pay special attention to the quality of their interactions with the dancers.

As Teachers we need to recognise that sometimes dancers are their own worst enemies. If a mistake is made dancers should say “I made a mistake, now how can I correct it”, not “I’m awful I can’t do it or I’m just not good enough”. According to psychologist Dr Jim Taylor “The former is positive and objective, the latter is negative and self-defeating.” It is therefore imperative that a teacher should “actively combat the use of negative evaluations”. I most certainly agree with what Dr Taylor has to say here about the importance of a Teachers intervention when they see this destructive behaviour/mind set and I believe not enough Dance Teachers are aware of their influence. I personally know I was not. Recently I have started to work for a company that teaches Dance in Primary and Secondary Schools which is heavily influenced by the Physical Education sector. We go into the schools to help the PE staff, who are not professionally trained in Dance, to teach a Dance lesson and/or take over the class entirely from them. As the class is a curricular lesson we must understand the curriculum, OFSTED, and child development in order to comply with the government and/or the School. Because of this I have been on a training programme to understand what is required to deliver an ‘outstanding’ OFSTED lesson. It was during the course when I began to think, why is it okay for Dancers to teach classes either straight out of training or on the side of them auditioning and performing because although we are professional dancers are we really professional teachers? This question stuck with me throughout the course and I thought to myself, should I really have been teaching these classes for the past year without this knowledge and teacher training?

With all these thoughts in my head I drew two mind maps. One labelled ‘Dance’ and the other ‘Teaching’. When I put them side by side to read ‘Dance Teaching’ I thought this is exactly what a dance teacher should encompass. The qualities of a Dancer AND the qualities of a Teacher. I think I will share this on my blog and with my SIG as I’m sure it will be eye opening for other Dance Teachers also.

“Have you ever known a Dancer who seemed to have everything; strength, skill, coordination, agility. But for some reason he or she doesn’t make it. How about the dancer who doesn’t seem to have those physical gifts? He or she is not exceptionally strong or agile. Yet, for some reason, he or she rises to a level far beyond what is expected.”

This question has been on every dancers mind at some point. I find great significance in this article by Dr Taylor both as a Dancer and a Teacher as he seems to ‘hit the nail on the head.’ Dr Taylor suggests a reason why this happens; “all of the physical ability in the world is not enough to take you to the top. You must be prepared psychologically as you are physically. Psychological strengths can often overcome physical limitations.”

This is definitely something I want to look into further – The support available for Dancer’s and what Teachers can do to help. It is also something very close to my heart as reflecting on my training I wasted a lot of my “natural talent” because I did not have the psychological stability needed for success. I can understand that Teachers would have been frustrated with me not reaching my full potential and now as a Teacher myself I would like to help students going through the same difficulty. I always stick by the phrase ‘Everything happens for a reason’. Although my dream was originally to perform not to teach, my experience, may it be bad or good, has enabled me to find a new passion and love for teaching. I want to give my students the professional training, support and encouragement they need to develop as Performers but also as an individual.

When looking into support for Dancer’s there were a few common grounds; a simple but effective method used is goal setting.

“Edwin A. Locke began to examine goal setting in the mid-1960s and continued researching goal setting for thirty years. Locke derived the idea for goal-setting from Aristotle’s form of final causality. Aristotle speculated that purpose can cause action; thus, Locke began researching the impact goals have on individual activity of its time performance.

Goal setting theory was developed and refined by Edwin A. Locke in the 1960s. His first article on goal setting theory was “Toward a Theory of Task Motivation and Incentives” which was published in 1968. This article laid the foundation for goal setting theory and established the positive relationship between clearly identified goals and performance.” (From Web. Wikipedia, under search for Edwin A. Locke)

Like Edwin A. Locke, in Dr Jim Taylors article he presents the idea that goal setting “can be used to enhance motivation and improve performance.” Goals should be realistic and challenging, yet attainable. His article also suggests that goals should be flexible and emphasis put on short term goals. We often think “I want to be a member of the English National Ballet” or “I want to dance for Beyonce” however we do not focus enough on how to get there…step by step…what we need to achieve to get there. Dr Taylor notes that “the most difficult factor to measure in developing goals is a dancer’s potential. Even the best teachers cannot always judge how good a performer a student will be in the future.” He suggests looking at “results over the past several years, chart the rate of improvement, then project it into the future.”

The following website has been designed “to help you learn the practical, straightforward skills you need to excel in your career.”

 http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newHTE_87.htm

“Established in 1996, our site helps more than 21,000,000 people each year, as well as providing cloud-based training solutions to companies and government agencies worldwide. (In 2012, in recognition of this, we were awarded a Queen's Award for Enterprise, the UK's top business award.) Members of our team are based in four continents. They comprise career experts, business people, coaches, writers, editors, and journalists – all of whom are focused on helping you make the very most of your career.”

This website also supports the idea of goal setting and its significance. It also refers to the SMART concept of goal setting which “stands for Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant, and Time-bound”.

 “By understanding goal-setting theory, you can apply Locke and Latham's principles to your goals. Their research confirms the usefulness of SMART goal setting, and their theory continues to influence the way that we measure performance today. To use this tool, set clear, challenging goals and commit yourself to achieving them. Be sure to provide feedback to others on their performance towards achieving their goals, and reflect on your own progress as well. Also, consider the complexity of the task, and break your goals down into smaller chunks, where appropriate. If you follow these simple rules, your goal setting will be much more successful, and your overall performance will improve.”

The use of Smart goals is also supported by the “Olympic Movement” official website which works closely with “the National Olympic Committees, the International Sports Federations, the athletes, the Organising Committees for the Olympic Games…broadcast partners and United Nations agencies”.

Here is what they say:

“The simple fact is that for any goal to be achieved it must be designed to be SMART, whether in sport or in life in general. There are many variations on what SMART stands for, but the essence is this:

Set Specific Goals

Your goals must be clear and well defined. You must understand what you wish to achieve. Vague or generalised goals are not achievable because they don't provide sufficient direction. Remember, you need goals to show you the way.

Set Measurable Goals

Include precise amounts, dates, etc. in your goals so you can measure your degree of success. Without a way to measure your success you miss out on the celebration that comes with knowing you actually achieved something.

Set Attainable Goals

Make sure that it's possible to achieve the goals you set. If you set a goal that you have no hope of achieving, you will only demoralise yourself and erode your confidence. However, resist the urge to set goals that are too easy. By setting realistic yet challenging goals you hit the balance you need. These are the types of goals that require you to "raise the bar" and they bring the greatest personal satisfaction.

Set Relevant Goals

Goals should be relevant to the direction you want your life and career to take. By keeping goals aligned with this, you'll develop the focus you need to get ahead and do what you want.

Set Time

Your goals must have a deadline. This again, is so that you know when to celebrate your success. When you are working on a deadline, your sense of urgency increases and achievement will come that much quicker.”

There are multiple sources that support and use goal setting to improve results. I believe it is essential that as a teacher I set goals for my students which are individual to the child’s development and as Dr Taylor suggests “realistic”. He also mentions that the goals “must be accepted by the dancer”. This also makes me think about setting my own goals as a Teacher. What do I want to achieve through my teaching?

Another method used to support dancers is known as ‘Dance Imagery’.

Dr Jim Taylor describes Dance Imagery as repeatedly “imagining a dance performance with the goal of improving specific technical and artistic skills. Ideally, it involves reproducing the total sensory and physical experience of actual performance including, visual, auditory, tactile, and muscular sensations.”

I had slight experience of this when one of my teachers asked me to think about doing a pirouette before I did it. In my head I messed up and I fell off my leg. Dance Imagery suggests that this negative image in my head will now affect my pirouette when I come to do it. I fully agree, the more I got worked up about my turns the less I could do and the worse my technique got. Dance imagery allows you to ‘rewind’ and look at what went wrong. Imagine you doing the action again, but this time see what you can improve. Gradually with practice you will begin to eliminate the negative thoughts and gradually improve your imagined performances.

Dr Taylor points out that Imagery is not “Magic, but with time and effort, the potential for making psychological and physical gains can be dramatic and Dance Imagery can be a significant contributor to a dancer’s success.”

From researching Dance Imagery I can see that there are many enthusiasts of this method. The following quotation talks about Imagery enhancing Performance.

“Substantial research has been done… in sport science and movement studies examining the role of imagery and mental practice in improving motor skills. There is considerable support for the hypothesis that imagery and mental practice can enhance motor performance. “(From, Imagery and Conditioning Practices for Dancers, Donna H. Krasnow, M.S., Steven J. Chatfield, Ph.D., Sherrie Barr, M.F.A., Jody L. Jenson, Ph.D., Janet S. Dufek, Ph.D., Dance Research Journal, 29/1, Spring 1997).

This article from ‘Imagery and Conditioning for Dancers’ does go on to say that these results are based on sport science and movement studies rather than specific to dance however I think with dance being so closely related to sport and movement that this article would help to support the idea that Imagery can be used to as a learning and developmental tool.

There are factors that affect how well imagery works; as a teacher, if we were to use this method, we would need to be aware of these to maximize the value of the students Dance Imagery Program.

Eric N. Franklin is a Swiss dancer, movement educator, university lecturer, writer and founder of the Franklin Method, a method that combines creative visualization, embodied anatomy, physical and mental exercises and educational skills. In his book ‘Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance’ Franklin suggests that his method will help dancers “Learn how to combine technical expertise with imagery skills to enrich their performance, and they will discover methods they can use to explore how imagery connects with dance improvisation and technique.”

“The Franklin method has proved invaluable to our students at the Juilliard School in New York City for the past several years. Learning how to use mental imagery and functional anatomy for dance augments our training program beautifully because it is clear, precise, and useful in every way for any dancer. The students have found it revelatory!”

Lawrence Rhodes--Director of the Dance Division, The Juilliard School

When researching pressures of the industry and what Teachers can do to help I came across a lot of articles discussing ‘Self Image’ and what that encompasses. To summarise what I found, I think it is important that Teachers recognise the tough choices that dancers face and help them in their training and lives to make ‘good’ decisions.

Issues such as weight, exposure to drugs, and physical demands they place on their bodies which may cause injury both short and long term are just a few of the pressures dancers face. As a teacher it is imperative that we address these problems sooner rather than later, prevention is better than rehabilitation.

There are many findings to support the worth of group discussions as well as personal one to one conversations you may have with your tutor or support officer. In a group discussion you can address topics such as ‘Self Image’, discuss idealistic approaches towards weight and image… ask questions to guide them. Is that Healthy? Is this picture air brushed? Malnourishment linked with injury? Drugs- self destructive? Other ways to deal with body weight, stress or peer pressure?

Another condition recognized in the industry is ‘Burn Out’. Dr Taylor characterizes ‘Burn Out’ as a condition of “physical, mental and emotional exhaustion caused by the inability to adequately cope with persistent stress. This stress derives from dancers’ perceptions that the demands placed upon them exceed their ability to master those demands.” Therefore it is essential as teachers that we remain cognizant of the level of stress that dancers are experiencing and help them to keep their stress within healthy limits. Teachers should be sensitive to warning signs of excessive stress.

Award winning health and medical website ‘Better Health’ website supported by ‘Reach Out’ suggests that talking to others will help “Sort through the problem or to see the situation more clearly, look at the problem in a new or different way, release built-up tension…find out that you are not alone. You may find that many other people share your feelings. Identify options or solutions you hadn't thought of before.”

Teachers should have open lines of communication with parents and should work together to address problems. In some cases, “appropriate professional referrals should be made if there is a serious concern the physical or emotional well-being of the dancer.” Here Dr Taylor emphasises that sometimes it is our duty as a teacher to recognise when area specific professional help is needed. Dr Taylor talks about the multiple roles of a dance instructor and their responsibility as, teacher, trainer, parent, friend, and psychologist. “It takes considerable experience before an instructor is capable of fulfilling all of these roles effectively.”

In conclusion to the above research, It is evident there is a strong correlation between the outcome of a Dancer throughout and after training and the quality and support provided by the Teacher. I would like to find out what different schools offer in terms of support…do they practice the strategies above? Are Teachers aware of their impact and have they had the correct training? Are we aware of the implications we have on a child’s development, especially if we do not offer support to cope with the pressures dancers face? How can we change/develop as teachers and companies to provide this support?

‘Develop’ here is the word that jumps out at me. It reminds me of Otto Scharmer’s Theory (2007) that we looked at in Module 1; we must always work with an “open mind, open heart and open will”. As Teachers we must never presume that our learned competencies are enough…we ourselves still have room to learn and develop and this in turn will affect the way our students learn.