I need to record the chore Miss – otherwise I won’t remember it…what the??
So why is that kids these days are always needing to record each lesson to remember choreography, instead of just using their brains? And why is it that if they don’t record it, they forget it as soon as they walk out of the studio?
This is a common frustration that many dance teachers are finding at the moment…it’s frustrating and annoying because you can’t move on, you have to reteach from the week before and then they question why haven’t they learnt more???
If you want to know some of the tricks I have found work for me, keep on reading…
In the ‘old’ days, we had to use a little thing called…”our memory”…there was no easy access to video to record, no quick check with SIRI or google, no video tutorial demonstrating how to work something out…it was just pen and paper, probably a slightly less busy life – and hope to God that you remembered everything…
I truly feel that we ALL have soooo much going on in our lives, so many places to be, things on our to-do list and things to remember – but this is how it is now and it’s up to us to adjust the way we teach to meet the needs of the next generation of dancers…
I’m still a bit ‘old-school’ and will still write things down – and I do tend remember and recall better than if I don’t…
Our memory is like a muscle…we need to exercise it to keep it sharp, fresh and functioning well…and we need to do it regularly and consciously… however, now-a-days people ARE busy, generally have a shorter attention span and want instant action and results…and I’m not just talking about kids – it’s many adults too!
In the classroom, we have a generation of visual learners not the kinaesthetic and auditory learners you possibly used to be or use to teach…
I do completely agree that we as dance teachers have to move with the times, however, I still believe there is a real importance in our students practicing and committing chore, skills and technique to memory – and not relying on re-learning it at later time from video.
Some teachers are happy and allow their students to film their chore at the end of each lesson to practice at home….but do they really watch it back, or is it just an easy option for them to mentally switch off from remembering what they have been taught? I almost think it’s better to say that they won’t be able to film it, so need to find another way to remember what they have been taught in class so they return confident and ready to move on next lesson…
If you’re keen to try out a few different things with your students, here are a few exercises to try…
- Get them to write it out…either in a dance journal or exercise book that they bring to class each lesson. Give them 5 mins at the end of the class to do this…they can describe the steps in their own words, use pictures or images – cause this way they’ll remember what made sense to them!!
- Get them to practice and then perform in small groups to each other in class…so not only are they physically moving through the chore (which is exercising their muscle memory within their body), but it is being re-enforced visually when they watch the others do it…
- Identify and talk to them about the patterns in the chore… get them to draw the shapes, patterns and stage directions so they can visualise when the music is on…I’ve seen students use arrows, shapes and all different crazy symbols – but it doesn’t matter, because it is them who will be able to recall it…
- Teach your students the chore to the words of the songs instead of the beats of the music…I’ve found for younger students, sometimes teaching choreography to the words of the song will help remind them of the steps….so when they hear the music, sing the words in their head, they remember the steps…
- Remind your students of your expectations and their responsibility… and out of respect for you and each other, to practice and confidently know the chore when they walk in next time…
- Teach with your students the chorography facing away from the mirror…If your students rely on watching each other through the mirror, then they are less likely to retain it in their brain. Use the mirror for cleaning routine.
So there you have…a few things for you to try in order for your students to remember their chore without begging to film it! Hopefully there is something in that list that may help you out!
Thanks for hanging out with me and please share this with other dance teachers you know who may be experiencing the same things…and don’t forget to let me know how you go with it…See you soon with more training ideas!