The Lakes South Morang College Newsletter COLLEGE CONNECTIONS
WHY DANCE IS JUST AS
IMPORTANT AS MATH IN SCHOOL
BY SIR KEN ROBINSON AND LOU ARONICA ON APRIL 2, 2018
Dance — and physical activity — should have the same status in schools as math, science and language. Psst: it
Some people have long understood that dance is an essential part of life and education. In one evaluation, 95 percent of teachers said that, as a result of dancing together, students ’ abilities to cooperate and collaborate improved.
everyone regardless of their vocational pathways, ” he says. “ We don ’ t teach math solely to create mathematicians, and we don ’ t teach writing solely to create the next generation of novelists. The same holds true for the arts. We teach them to create well - rounded citizens who can apply the skills, knowledge and experience from being involved in the arts to their careers and lives. ”
may even help raise test scores, says Sir Ken Robinson. For several years, I ’ ve been a patron of the London School of Contemporary Dance. In 2016, I was invited to give the
Dance can help restore joy and stability in troubled lives and ease the tensions in schools that are disrupted by violence and bullying. “
Full article published: https://blog.ed.ted.com/2018/04/02/why - dance - is - just - as - important - as - math - in - school/
annual lecture in honor of founding principal Robert Cohan, and I decided to talk about the role of dance in schools. Before the lecture, I tweeted the title “ Why Dance Is as Important as Math in Education. ” I had a lot of positive responses and a number of incredulous ones. One tweet said, “ Isn ’ t that going to be one of the shortest lectures ever? ” Another said flatly, “ Ken, dance is not as important as math. ” One person tweeted, “ So what? Telephones are more important than bananas. Ants are not as important as toilet ducks. Paper clips are more important than elbows. ” (At least that was a creative response.) Some responses were more pertinent: “ Is that so? Important for what and to whom? By the way I ’ m a math teacher. ” I ’ m not arguing against mathematics — it ’ s an indispensable part of the great creative adventure of the human mind. It ’ s also intimately involved with the dynamics of dance. Instead, this is an argument for equity in educating the whole child. I ’ m talking about the equal importance of dance with the other arts, languages, mathematics, sciences and the humanities in the general education of every child. What is dance? It is the physical expression through movement and rhythm of relationships, feelings and ideas. Nobody invented dance. It is deep in the heart of every culture throughout history; dance is part of the pulse of humanity. It embraces multiple genres, styles and traditions and is constantly evolving. Its roles range from recreational to sacred and cover every form of social purpose.
Dance education has important benefits for students ’ social relationships , particularly among
The Lakes South Morang College has always valued The Arts, evidenced by our commitment to both the creative and performing arts within our P - 12 curriculum and programs. Participation in school - based Performing Arts, such as Music, Dance, and Drama, can have a positive impact on learning in several ways: ARTS AT THE LAKES
genders and age groups. Many forms of dance, including ballroom, are inherently social. They involve moving together in synchrony and empathy, with direct physical contact. A panel of researchers in kinesiology and pediatrics conducted a massive review of more than 850 studies about the effects of physical activity on school - age children. Most of the studies measured the effects of 30 to 45 minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity three to five days a week on many factors — physical factors such as obesity, cardiovascular fitness, blood pressure and bone density, as well as depression, anxiety, self - concept and academic performance. Based on strong evidence in a number of these categories, the panel firmly recommended that students should participate in one hour (or more) of moderate to vigorous physical activity a day. Looking specifically at academic performance, the panel found strong evidence to support the conclusion that “ physical activity has a positive influence on memory, concentration and classroom behavior. ” Would it be okay to have millions of students without access to math or language arts? he asks. “ Of course not, and it should not be tolerated in the arts. There is a persistent myth that arts education is for the gifted and talented, but we know that the arts benefit
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Improved cognitive skills: Research has shown that participating in Performing Arts can enhance cognitive skills such as memory, spatial - temporal skills, and language acquisition. Increased creativity: Engaging in The Arts encourages students to think outside the box and explore new ideas. This can translate to
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