Classroom Mechanics

The Demonstration

The demonstration is the time for the teacher to teach the combination, the students to learn the combination, and for the musician to make musical choices about the upcoming exercise.

The demonstration is also a good opportunity for the dance teacher to communicate any special needs to the musician such as odd meters, special accents or phrasing to the musician. It is most effective if the teacher takes just a moment before the demonstration to communicate such needs to the musician. The musician can then be observing the combination to make musical choices on phrasing, accents, and overall energy.

The Introduction

The introduction in a modern dance class is basically the same as in the ballet class. Also known as the “Preparation,” it is just that. It is a moment the dancers have the opportunity to mentally and physically prepare to move, or perform. The introduction is functional as well as aesthetic. It sets up the mood and tempo of the music for the dancer. As a musician might pause to take a breath before a performance, the dancer can prepare to move during the introduction.

The dance teacher should not just leave it up to the musician to start the exercise. This would be like “just turning on the music.” The musician has a much more important role in the class. In many ways, the musician acts directly as a teaching assistant. They should be acting as partners, especially during this very important moment. Even if the teacher may have demonstrated the exercise in the performance tempo, giving the musician all the information needed to “just start the music” without assistance from the teacher, it should to be joint effort, as it will strengthen the “teaching force.”

A common introduction would be for the teacher to count out a complete phrase or the last part of the combination before the dancers start to move. This also reinforces the idea of the “preparation.” I have found it to work out best by playing, for example, 5, 6, 7, 8 after the teacher has given 1, 2, 3, 4, (depending on meter, of course) so it works out that the instructor and the musician bring in the music together. Another example might be in 6/4 time: “1, 2, 3,” followed by “4, 5, 6.”

Updated February 2.12.2008

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