Welcome back to Dance GEMS! In this episode, hosts Jean Dorff and Ton Greten dive into the evolving landscape of dance education, exploring the contrasts, benefits, and intersections between traditional and modern styles of teaching dance.
Jean and Ton unpack how teaching methods have shifted, why neither approach is "good" or "bad," and how both educators and students can benefit from understanding and blending these styles. The conversation flows through personal experiences, historical context, and even touches on social changes, offering practical insights for dancers, teachers, and anyone passionate about dance learning.
In this episode, you'll hear:
Why traditional and modern are better terms than old vs. new.
Ton’s personal journey moving from strict traditionalism to a more creative, student-centered style.
Examples from ballet and ballroom showcasing how teaching styles can influence the dance itself.
The importance of terminology, self-discovery in dance, and how societal trends shape teaching.
How you can make informed choices in your dance journey, whether as a beginner or a seasoned artist.
Highlights from Ton
Personal Evolution: Ton shares that he taught for years in the traditional style—very strict and technique-focused—without initially realizing it, and only recognized the existence of "modern" styles more recently.
Approach to Individuality: He now feels more at home with modern teaching, which places emphasis on the dancer's individuality and creativity, seeing it as more equal and process-focused rather than result-driven.
Traditional vs. Modern in Practice: Ton compares how he used to uniformly treat students in a rigid way, versus his current approach that draws out unique qualities from each dancer.
Influence of Associations: He discusses how dance association rules, especially in competitive settings, can enforce traditional, restrictive teaching—even when rules themselves can be open to interpretation.
Terminology and Discovery: Ton values the modern style’s openness to new terminology, self-discovery, and encourages teachers to pioneer and explore uncharted territories in their teaching methodologies.
Highlights from Jean
Pedagogical Trends: Jean notes that the shift from summative (result-oriented) to formative (process-driven) learning in education began decades ago, influencing how dance is also taught.
Neutral Perspective on Approaches: He emphasizes that neither traditional nor modern teaching is inherently better; understanding both allows for informed, situational choices best suited to students and context.
Role of Technology: Jean brings up the integration of technology (like video analysis) in both traditional and modern teaching, highlighting that tools can serve both paradigms with different intentions.
Teaching vs. Coaching: He draws a valuable distinction between teaching (transferring skill/knowledge) and coaching (managing the learning process), advocating for teachers to know when to switch hats.
Language Matters: Jean explores how language and terminology—sometimes originating from pioneers like Laban—can help define and refine teaching methods, stressing the ongoing importance of developing new vocabulary in dance education.
Featured References:
The documentary “The Dancer” (Sergey Polunin’s story)
Discussion on Rudolf Laban’s contribution to dance terminology
GEM Method’s approach to structuring choices in dance learning