I Believe in the Power of Dance | Cara Scrementi | TEDxUCIrvine

Summary

The speaker advocates for the inclusion of dance in undergraduate education, emphasizing its ability to develop life skills like problem-solving, collaboration, and nonverbal communication. Through choreography, students gain a sense of ownership over their education and build confidence that extends beyond their dance careers.

Takeaways

• 💃 Dance is considered a powerful tool that can prepare individuals for life, beyond just a hobby or career.
• 🏫 Parents often question the viability of dance as an undergraduate major, but it is argued that dance should be included among other academic fields.
• 📚 Education should educate the whole person, and dance is seen as a discipline that can accomplish this by impacting personality, work ethic, and career path.
• 🎭 The speaker has been researching how choreography can enhance undergraduate dance majors' sense of ownership over their education.
• 🤔 The study focused on emphasizing life skills in choreography that are useful both in dance and outside of it.
• 🤝 Nonverbal communication is a key skill in dance, demonstrated through an activity where students create choreography without speaking or using gestures.
• 🔍 Problem-solving is highlighted as a crucial skill in choreography, where students must work together to create a piece without verbal communication.
• 👯‍♀️ Collaboration is essential in choreography, with students acting as co-choreographers and ensuring their ideas and movements are included in the final product.
• 🌟 Building confidence through choreographic activities is seen as a way to enhance students' sense of choreographic identity and self-assurance.
• 🎓 The focus is on the process of choreography, rather than just the final product, to help students understand their artistic choices and improve for future projects.
• 🔗 The life skills gained through dance education are believed to build confidence in students, preparing them for success in various areas of life, even outside of dance.

Q & A

What is the speaker's opinion on the value of dance education?

The speaker believes that the power of dance is limitless and that dance education is valuable for educating the whole person, impacting personality, work ethic, and career path.

Why does the speaker think dance should be considered a viable option for undergraduate study?

The speaker argues that dance should be included among other academic fields like English or biology because it contributes to a holistic education, enhancing personal development and life skills.

What is the speaker's research focus over the past year?

The speaker has been investigating how the creative process and choreography can help undergraduate dance majors enhance their sense of ownership over their education.

What was the purpose of the choreography activity with the undergraduate dance majors?

The purpose was to explore life skills that are useful in choreography and valuable outside of dance, emphasizing nonverbal communication, problem-solving, and collaboration.

What restrictions were placed on the dancers during the choreography task?

The dancers were not allowed to speak or use verbal gestures, and they had to create a movement phrase based on a concept they drew from a piece of paper.

What additional challenge was added to the choreography task?

After creating the movement phrase, the dancers had to use choreographic tools to make it more dynamic and develop it into a short choreographic piece that could stand on its own.

What life skills were emphasized in the choreography activity?

The activity emphasized problem-solving, collaboration, and nonverbal communication, which are skills that can be applied in various areas of life beyond dance.

How does the speaker view the importance of the process versus the product in choreography?

While the product is important, the speaker emphasizes the process as a way to develop choreographic abilities, artistic choices, and communication skills.

What is the speaker's goal for the dancers in terms of their choreographic identity?

The speaker aims to help the dancers build confidence in themselves and their choreographic identity through activities that enhance their awareness of the skills they are gaining.

How does the speaker believe dance education can benefit students even if they choose a non-dance career path?

The speaker believes that the life skills gained through dance education, such as problem-solving and collaboration, can provide students with the tools they need to succeed in any area of their life, including non-dance careers.