A Step In A New Direction

By Hester Davis

A choreography program adds depth to dance training.

A year ago I tried something new and different at my studio, never expecting that it would become an educational boon for my students. After choreographing a slew of dances for the school’s spring performance, I was out of ideas. I found myself repeating movement phrases or fading out the music to end the dances quickly. Desperate for inspiration, I asked my advanced students to create two 8-count solos within a group piece—and an idea was born. A year later the Glenwood Springs Center for the Arts in Glenwood Springs, CO, has a full-fledged student choreography program, and I am delighted with how it has benefited the students, the business, and myself.

After those first students had finished their choreographic input, I watched in amazement as their creativity and unique personalities emerged through their movements. Each solo was unique to its creator, and at the same time, each flowed seamlessly with the rest of the piece. As I congratulated them on their success, looks of pride and satisfaction came over their faces.

To further test and develop this idea, I asked one of my older students if she would like to choreograph a piece for her modern dance class. She agreed enthusiastically and worked with me to choose music and find starting positions; as she set the movement, I helped her refine it. Every week she would come to class, warm up the students, and work on the dance. At the end of class the students would show me what they had done and I would give my input and suggestions. What soon emerged was a beautiful dance—along with a more confident dancer and budding choreographer who found she had a broader range of talents and creative sense than she had known.

I began asking my older students to choreograph parts of a dance or even entire pieces on a regular basis, rotating students through the choreography. New students began coming to the school because they want to create their own dances, and my current students have developed a newfound love for class and more confidence in their ability to create.

The small victory of my first experiment with student choreography encouraged me to include dancemaking as a regular part of the advanced dancers’ classes. During this first year, all of the advanced students have tried their hand at choreography within the context of their regular classes. To increase the educational value of their exposure to choreography, we talk about its different elements—levels, directions, speed, group work—and the unique challenges and benefits of its many styles. Next semester we plan to include a dedicated hour-long choreography class in the curriculum, in which any interested advanced-level student may enroll.

The student choreography program benefits everyone involved. Teachers get a break from choreographing, teach multiple choreographic techniques, learn from their students, and become closer to them. I have bonded with my students in ways I never would have expected. Students see that their opinions and preferences matter to me, so if a problem arises they are much more likely to talk about it rather than go to a different school. They also experience some of the difficulties of making a dance piece, thus gaining a better understanding of what a dance teacher or artistic director goes through on a day-to-day basis. The school’s enrollment and ticket sales have increased, and the dropout rate has decreased.

Most important, though, is the change I see in the students. They have become more confident and inspired. They leave the studio with more than just technique or beautiful extension—they’ve also gained pride, satisfaction, problem-solving skills, and a new perspective on dance. Seeing the change in them reminds me of why I became a dance teacher and why I continue to do this work year after year. I can think of no better way to broaden and enhance a dance program.