Circle Dance Teacher Training Course 2008

Course Content

Guest tutors will join us to introduce specialist topics which we will continue to develop throughout the course.

Teaching in Rhythm with Mandy de Winter

Circle Dance offers a diverse collection of musical styles and rhythms. This day will be a discovery and exploration of those rhythms and the application of this experience to teaching dances.

Traditional Dance Families with Mandy de Winter

On this day you will be introduced to some basic traditional dances from the Balkans; learn which dance names relate to which countries; discover and identify similarities between the Pravo Oro, Les Noto and Syrtos and finally be shown how to recognise variations around the same theme.

Emergency Response First Aid with Dedj Leibbrandt

Would you know what to do if someone in your class fell and broke their wrist or had an allergic reaction to a bee sting – or worst still had a heart attack?

This basic course will arm you with the essential skills to recognise the signs of a heart attack, administer CPR if necessary and act correctly and feel competent if an accident should occur in your class.

Increasing body awareness through ballet with Annette FitzGerald

Short sessions of ballet throughout the course will help you to discover a new relationship with your body. Dancing is not just about moving from the waist down - and ballet will help us to connect the two halves of our body and develop a greater body awareness.

Sessions with Judy

As well as ‘holding’ the course, Judy will be leading a number of sessions, covering a wide and varied range of topics. She will spend time working on the skills needed to teach a dance, gradually developing the necessary physical vocabulary and communication techniques to culminate in each of you teaching a short dance session.

The Still Centre. The centred teacher is a role model for his/her group. How do we reach a still place within ourselves when we have SO much to think about and do? We will be exploring the concept of stillness; learning a technique to centre ourselves and looking at situations that could potentially disrupt and create stillness in the circle and the teacher – and more!

Attunement. Every day will begin with an hour of dancing into our still centre. The energy and focus created through a series of gentle dances will take you to a still and centred space from which to move into the day. During this time, Judy will also help you to develop your own sense of body awareness so you can become a positive role model for your group in the way you move.

Our personal view of “where I am now as a Circle Dance Teacher.” A short exercise to look at our own view of where we stand today as a Circle Dance Teacher and how we might perceive ourselves to be in the future as a Circle Dance Teacher and what we might need to ‘bridge that gap’.

Teaching and Learning Styles. Do you know how you learn a dance? By understanding the many different learning processes, we can then understand how the way we then teach a dance can influence the way a group learns, dances and interacts.

Dance notation. How do we accurately record a dance?

Dance patterns. Experience and understand how to lead gateways, spirals, lines and double circles.

The Mirror Image. Just how difficult is this for the beginner and what can you do as a teacher to help?

Dance away the barriers... How to work with special needs groups - how to make the dances accessible to groups of dancers of all abilities or dis-ability.

Group dynamics. Exploring, in a practical way, group dynamics and looking at how the teacher can address challenging scenarios within the group.

Tradition or habit. Why do we do the things we do?

Discussion groups. There will be times where we sit down together and talk. Judy can answer your questions (she does not guarantee to know the answer but she does have years of experience to draw on!) It is very valuable to be able to sit and chat informally with a group of like-minded folk and explore various topics.

Looking at the practical issues of.... Sourcing materials, keeping accurate accounts, having adequate insurance and licenses and issues arising out of self-employment.

Guiding you.... Through your ‘teaching practices’.

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