July 27, 2026

Discovering

Unfold what you wish to know

Dance Baby! Dance

Cecily and I went to her ballet class #2 today.  Taos has a drop-in at Twirl and the woman who teaches the class is superb.
The video speaks for itself..  But first, for a bit of reflection for “educational” purposes.
1. Lily has only been to a group activity like this twice now.  She has spent a couple sessions now with the preschoolish co-op where she is both the oldest and the only who isn’t one of the group already because her parents are not part of the circle of friends/parents.  She does quite well in spite of how little exposure she’s had to group and kid activities.
I had to explain to her the first time we went to the ballet class a few months ago how to follow along in the class and what is expected in an environment like that.  Today, with a bit of prodding, she followed along well.  A few times she was on her own program, but that is mostly due to her enthusiasm and simple way of ‘knowing’ all of what is going on around her.
In the same thought that she seems to fumble a bit with the other kids and in a class environment, she seems to have a sense of what is going on that rather transcends the moment as she fully connects to the instructor.  I watch the other kids who, each in turn, half way or indirectly (no eye contact, no true connection) interact with the instructor.  Then I watch mine.  When they work with her, they’re just sort of there.  When Lily has her attention, it’s as if the two are off in their own world, and their interaction is intense and fluid.
Some might see this as an impediment and weakness, but from my perspective, it indicates two things: Cecily doesn’t belong thrown into the ranks and groups, being shuffled around into the box and expected to disappear into the blur of developing minds. It also dramatically reminds me that Cecily has an intense ability to focus and engage. Given the opportunity with someone (or independently) she then takes the interaction to an even deeper level that is fascinating to watch. She draws such a complete energy out of whomever she’s interacting, fluid and directed, that regardless of the fact that she’s flitting around the room like a ballerina unaffected by gravity when it’s the other kids’ turn, the moment the instructor sets their focus on her, she’s captivated.  So is the instructor.


 

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CDE Standards Reference & Analysis
Content Area: Dance

Grade Level Expectations: Preschool
Standard: 4. Reflect, Connect, and Respond

Prepared Graduates: (Click on a Prepared Graduate Competency to View Articulated Expectations)
Concepts and skills students master:

1. Observe and identify different dance genres
Cecily is aware of ballet, ballroom (couple), and wiggle (jazz) genres (02/10/2012)
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skill and Readiness Competencies
Students Can:

  1. Experience the joy of seeing and responding to dance
  2. Demonstrate movement to express emotion
  3. Describe what is seen and felt in a movement by speaking or drawing a picture
1. See video shown here, and additional videos posted from today and the previous class a few months back.
2. Cecily uses dance like movements to express: Compassion, tenderness, companionship, grace and elegance, refinement, energy, and intrigue.
  – See video of her dancing with ‘Little Sister’ and her Papa for examples
3. Will inquire of her for this
 Inquiry Questions:

  1. How does dance help to convey feelings?
  2. How does dance help us to learn about other people?
  3. What movements and objects are seen in a particular dance work?
  4. What do you like or dislike about a particular dance?

Relevance & Application:

  1. Observing dance works and discussing the emotions a dance creates builds foundational language development skills.
Cecily will draw connections of certain dance movements, sequences, and types with moods, her perceptions of social interaction and purpose, and preference of use of her physical energy.
  1. Connecting emotions to dance builds foundational abilities to that recognize ideas and messages are shared in many ways.
With no reference to the lack of editorial review of the CDE’s site…
Given this perspective, I intend to encourage Cecily to intentionally
express a message of her own devising through a dance, also of her own creation.

Nature Of:

  1. Dance provides the opportunity for people to express their ideas and feelings through movement.
Prepared Graduates: (Click on a Prepared Graduate Competency to View Articulated Expectations)
Concepts and skills students master:

2. Attentively observe a dance performance
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skill and Readiness Competencies
Students Can:

  1. View a performance with attention (DOK 1)
Cecily has observed a ballet on PBS’s Great Performances in which there were a variety of dances completed.  The one that captured her attention the longest was when a woman danced blindfolded, with one, then two, then a dozen men – never missing a movement, a point, or faltering. She tried to dance blindfolded after she saw this performance.
  1. Clap to show joy and appreciation of a dance (DOK 1)
Cecily uses clapping differently than what is presented here as expectation of social conformity.  For Cecily, delight is demonstrated by squeals, intent focus and enthusiastic engagement, mimicry and re-enactment, verbalization and retelling of experience. 
  1. Draw on paper the movement seen in the space of a particular dance work (DOK 1-2)
I would challenge here that drawing on paper is not necessarily the most effective representation of recognition or comprehension of the value of the movement. Perhaps the exercise demonstrates something currently not obvious to me? Assistance on what the exercise is looking to exhibit would be helpful.  – The explanation shown to the right seems disjointed to me. Perhaps I need to research foundational fine motor skills…
 Inquiry Questions:

  1. How is dance used in everyday life?
  2. What do you love about dance?
  3. Why is it important to watch respectfully during a live dance performance?

Relevance & Application:

  1. Demonstrating appropriate audience behavior builds foundational self-direction skills for many societal events such as live performances, movie showings, public events, and presentations.
I would like to encourage Cecily to be able to recognize the concepts of general behaviors of an audience, for its own sake.  I do not agree however that instilling such conformity to social expectation builds foundational self-direction, but rather teaches her what “audience behavior” is – a set of behavioral responses set forth by a societal expectation, that if she chooses to comply, she will have done just that.  
Building foundational self direction to us looks more like discipline (not punishment), self regulation because of conscious choice, interpersonal expression, internal processing, autonomy, and integrity.  In other words, she chooses her behaviors intentionally – she directs her ‘self’: Conformity to social behaviors is a different subject.
  1. Transferring movement that is observed to a drawing on a paper builds foundational fine motor skills.

Nature Of:

  1. Choreographers create dances that have meaning, but people often find their own meaning in those dances.
Thus the concept of artistry and ‘artisanship’… and ‘not often’, but always’- if they have the capacity to think for themselves.

Grade Level Expectations: Kindergarten
Standard: 4. Reflect, Connect, and Respond

Prepared Graduates: (Click on a Prepared Graduate Competency to View Articulated Expectations)
Concepts and skills students master:

1. Observe different dance styles, and describe one movement you remember
Cecily’s description generally takes the form of reenactment.  I will request she verbalize the same.
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skill and Readiness Competencies
Students Can:

  1. Describe in writing or with a drawing the movement and mood of a particular dance work (DOK 1-4)
  2. Describe a favorite movement from a dance (DOK 1-2)
  3. Enjoy participating in and observing a variety of dance styles (DOK 1)
  4. Respond to a dance with language of dance symbols or other types of symbols, and relate them to a favorite movement (DOK 1-3)
  5. Describe the performer’s use of space in a favorite movement from a dance (DOK 1-2)
1 & 2 – Forthcoming
3 – Conclusive
4 – I will inquire of her
5 – Something we will address. Usage of space is something Cecily is still developing. I’m looking for exercises to encourage her comprehension and space usage both personally and in group interaction.
 Inquiry Questions:

  1. How are characters portrayed in dance?
  2. How do movement and music differ from one culture to another?
  3. How do the basic elements of dance communicate feelings and thoughts?

Relevance & Application:

  1. Understanding why it is important for performers to share space appropriately builds foundational collaborative skills needed in many activities and vocations.
     Foundational collaborative skills is a weak point at the current time for Cecily. We have not provided her with sufficient social gathering/activity for this to be more advanced and developed than it is.  This is a point we are focusing on and are actively seeking constructive solutions to encourage this development that fit within the social and behavioral parameters we value.
  2. Finding a personal connection to or a specific element of a dance work builds strong identification skills and self-direction, enabling personal decision-making and appropriate use of space in collaborative tasks.
Is it me, or does this item seem a bit confusing? 
I think that discovering a personal connection, or rather being able to identify with something, encourages the development of self awareness, self esteem, and confidence. It also often increases an ability of the given activity or knowledge because of the interest present.

Nature Of:

  1. Dancers observe the movement of others, and create something new based on that knowledge.
How?  What?
Prepared Graduates: (Click on a Prepared Graduate Competency to View Articulated Expectations)
Concepts and skills students master:

2. Demonstrate appropriate etiquette at a dance performance
The entire concept of etiquette is something I am struggling to reach a balance with at this time.  Cecily is learning, by observation, the various expectations, typical responses and behaviors, and general protocols that surround her life every day.  I have chosen at this time to not insist she become aware of any given etiquette, for the sake of such, but when and where such etiquette has a purpose she can comprehend and value, we discuss it.  For instance, when someone is talking and she wants to speak as well, we’re working on her awareness of the other person’s conversation, while respecting her own desire to contribute, redirect, or change the subject. She’s learning how to inform us (others) of when her desire to speak is such that she must insist on interrupting vs. the varying degrees of necessity, contribution, disagreement, and the simple spoken acknowledgement to demonstrate she is listening.
We have established a foundation with Cecily where her involvement in a conversation (her contribution), whether it be approval or disapproval, is valued highly and respected equally to that of an adult’s.  The majority of the time her conversation is obviously relevant to the (adult) topic, though sometimes recognizing the relevance requires understanding her frame of reference.  Frequently, however, her own internal dialogue spoken aloud (usually when she believes herself to be alone) seems to carry random relevance and continuity to the casual observer, but to her is entirely associated, relevant, and connected.  Given a knowledge of her experiences and frame of reference in this case, one can almost always follow her dialogue and thought processes.
Evidence Outcomes 21st Century Skill and Readiness Competencies
Students Can:

  1. View and respond to a performance in a positive manner (DOK 1)
  2. Describe a favorite movement to the dance performer using basic vocabulary (DOK 1-2)
  3. Discuss and critique short dance works that relate to the topics being studied in dance class (DOK 1-3)
 Inquiry Questions:

  1. What does movement say?
  2. What is a dancer?
  3. How does a dance make one think about the dancers?
  4. Why is it important to watch respectfully during a live dance performance?

Relevance & Application:

  1. Employing personal response skills and utilizing descriptive language when viewing a dance work provides an authentic venue for building verbal skills and audience participation skills.
  2. Finding connections to dances and topics of study increases long-term memory and sequencing abilities, which are crucial to language development.

Nature Of:

  1. Enjoying and appreciating dance requires audiences to observe and respond based on what they see and feel.

 
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