Award Title Rationale Task 4d

Award Title Rational

Notes on this task suggests “your award title should reflect on your knowledge and expertise and you should think carefully about it in relation to your future career development”

My training and Diploma was for teaching the ISTD dance syllabus. Quite a specific and ‘elite’ section of dance for children up to pre professional. At first I thought the title should reflect this.  But at the same time my teaching experiences took me to a culturally diverse group of people within the community. Dance in the community has a very different approach to private dance schools.  Dance in the Community includes people of all levels and abilities with social implications.  I also want to include teaching dance in schools, from key stages 1 to 4. My first challenge was to explore the titles of previous awards.  The suggested titles offered are; Musical Theatre, Performing Arts and Arts Management.  These titles are clearly not going to be a true representation of what I have achieved to date or trained in. 

When I started the BAPP course it was to develop thoughts about my future career as a lecturer in dance I came up with the title ‘in Dance in Education’.  Again it didn’t include Dance in the community.   A brief discussion with an adviser made things clearer and to date I have come up with;

BA (Hons) Professional Practise in Dance in schools and the Community

I think this implies teaching dance within schools and understanding dance is included in the National Curriculum plus this includes my private school of dance and current teaching practises in the wider community and at differing levels, abilities, styles and management.

I feel that I haven’t come to a final conclusion on this proposed award title, but this is what I have accomplished to date.

I would appreciate your honest feed back.

Part 4a - The Body

Part 4a  -  Developing my Professional Inquiry 

I wish to broaden my knowledge with my inquiry.  I have a deep interest in two broad subjects ;

The Origins of Dance OR  Dance is a Therapy.

The Origins of Dance

•   Have we lost our focus on what original/historical/cultural dance has given us
•   Why is fusion used so much today
•   Is fusion dance steering us away from original/historical/Cultural Dance
•   Does the fusion of multiple dance have a negative effect on the conservation of the origins of dance
•   Are we losing the ability to convey the history we make today history in dance for future generations
•   How do we convey in dance, today’s culture: world wide web, 3D, 3G, Space travel, our ever changing, expanding    Universe

Dance is a Therapy -  The Body

I have found data on Dance as a Therapy that is well documented on the values of Dance as a Therapy.  Primarily this subject is based on the body.

• What are the dance therapy values professional dancers experience whilst performing to an audience
• What type of dance therapy does the audience experience whilst watching professional performers
• What type of dance therapy do non professional dancers experience whilst dancing or making movement to music
• To what extent can dance be misinterpreted as a therapy
• What are the dance styles that are considered not a therapy

I have started asking questions on FB to get my SIG going

If you think you may have a connection/link or share an interest in the above subjects it would be great to connect as a SIG. Please also blog any of your comments, suggestion or ideas to help.  

Safe Dance Practice for Dance Teachers course

Decodanz
I found the web site below that offers a free 'Safe Dance Practice for Dance Teachers' course, there is a small fee for but a very large saving on the whole for this course. It's a distance learning course with a two day intensive workshop.  I have realised how very important for dancers and dance teachers to have Continuous Professional Development (CPD).


This will be an additional qualification for me.  It was developed in collaboration with 'International Association for Dance Medicine & Science' (IADMS) and Trinity College London. It is suitable for all dance genres.


Decodanz 

1st Campus Session of 1012 with Rosemary McGuinness

1st Campus Session with Rosemary McGuinness
Module 2 WBS 3630  Rosemary advices ;
The bridge between module 1 &3. It's about thinking and writing about what is already known.


Parts 4, 5 &6
This module requires you to know about  Ethics which you should link to your current job, link to to your professional mentor agreement (an Ethics form that needs to be signed and agreed details with your mentor. See in tab WBS 3630).
Part 4
Developing Lines of Professional Inquiry, delving further into the topic.
All the learners that had attended the campus sessions had an idea or three on a topic.
Advice was to gather data, discover your strength and fill in the gaps that you have discovered you have missing, develop your weakness. 
Self asses and be aware of what you do know and what you don't know.
See what is already known about your subject inquiry.
Research first, use the library guide, seek out editorials, speak to people working in this area.
Develop a 'Special Interest Group', blogg with other learners that have the same or similar Enquiry topic as you.


Ask yourself; What do I need to do to get the shape of this enquiry, do I deepen knowledge or develop skills.
We need to evaluate and be critical, seek deeper meanings and truths.  Don't accept what people have to say.
Look for different arguments and angles.


Module 1 was about the Theoretical, scientific etc. 
Module 2 is about your knowledge, your experience and professional practise.


Know the difference between;  Competence                                  Capability        
                    Are you competent ;    Yes/No                   Are you ;          Novice   
                                                                                                               Competent Beginner
                                                                                                               Competent
                                                                                                               Proficient
                                                                                                               Expert
Knowing what = Theoretical knowledge
Knowing how  =  Practical knowledge and delivering
Assessment Component
Professional Inquiry Plan
Tools are important, what tools and why
Ethics, read up on Ethical Issues in your work place/current job.
Proposed Award Title & Rational, I personally was stuck on a title to justify my current position so I had a brief chat with Adesola who gave me very clear guide lines. 
Consider previous knowledge or what your career aspirations are or what you are going to do.
Speak to your adviser as this is to be discussed. Our advisers will discuss your title amongst them to help decide.
Employer Professional Support; Download the forms from the lib guide tab.


We were shown Artifact's of previous Module 3 Inquiries.  I was surprised as to the variety of was other learners presented their end work.  I read about a business plan plus financial statements and business figures, we noted that this presentation was non disclosure (we were sworn to secrecy on the details) as the learner was in the actual process of setting up the business. Another two presentations were in the form of fully published books, a lot of thought and effort went into this. Another artifacts was in the form of a poster that was put up in a well known commercial dance studio, showing helpful advice and information. 


An informative campus session. Thank you Rosemary.
Our next Campus session is TUESDAY 28TH FEBRUARY 2p.m. to 5 p.m.