In OeAD Dialogue Events artists from all art disciplines work together with teachers and pupils in class. Joint learning processes enrich and complement lessons at school, individual skills are strengthened and promoted. Participatory art education projects are a field for experimentation and learning for all participants, they support the active involvement of all pupils in the classroom community, enable social participation and provide a first basic and low-threshold access to art and culture. Every year the OeAD supports up to 2,500 Dialogue Events and provides schools with advice regarding these events.
The dancer, dance teacher and choreographer Annemarie Papp has been a cooperation partner of the OeAD for many years and has already carried out some 60 Dialogue Events at schools since 2011. We asked her to tell us about her experiences:
“Miss, what day is today?” “Today is Friday.” “So, will Annemarie finally come today?”
For almost 20 years I have carried out dance education projects with schools within the framework of the “Dialogue Events”, such as with the primary school in Hoefftgasse in Simmering in Vienna. The school is located in the middle of a council estate on the outskirts of Vienna and the proportion of pupils with migration background is high. Dancing also enables those children who are not yet so confident in the German language to have a sense of achievement as dancing is mostly non-verbal and therefore the linguistic differences fade into the background.
This project is very dear to me because it is really work in the midst of the community. I work closely with the teachers at the school. The school recognised the importance of performing arts and dance for teaching many years ago, long before awareness of dance really became fashionable at schools in Austria; dancing has become a matter of course at the school for both girls and boys. Modern dance and its versatility in teaching enable good, holistic support for the children.
Beatrix Kainz, the teacher leading the project, and I have had repeated consultations and exchanges with the OeAD and its dance and theatre advisors regarding the project. Talks, telephone calls or visits to the school have provided information about the developments. The project was also presented at the last symposium of the Federal Ministry of Education, Science and Research, “Dance at Schools”, and Beatrix Kainz talked about her experiences. I am very grateful for the OeAD’s openness to co-finance such projects and thus to integrate dance into everyday school life. And, above all, to familiarise children with art who would otherwise not have the opportunity to experience it.
Dancing is ....
Dancing is sensuous and enables learning without stress. It fosters a child's ability to move, perception, concentration and reaction. In my classes exercises, movement assignments, dance stories, dance improvisations, dances and more complex choreographies alternate. I work with elements of dance theatre, which gives a lot of scope for developing the quality of one's own movements. Dance elements such as turns, jumps, balance, floor work or acrobatics to promote motor development are also important elements in my classes. Furthermore, dancing together is a training ground for social learning and a good basis for later teamwork.
The pupils show courage in producing something and presenting it. They practise taking space for themselves while respecting the space around the others. Experiencing that every felt and presented expression can be interesting also boosts shy children’s self-confidence. Creating small pieces or choreographies is a central element of our performances. This gives parents an insight into the artistic work and the children gain their first performance experiences.
The topics of our lessons are numerous. Themes from the course of the year (seasons, festivals), everyday school life (letters, numbers, science and local studies) but also the children's everyday lives (nature, people, feelings, environment) and stories, books, music or pictures are the basis for improvisations or creations. I use music from different eras, styles and cultures to give the children a versatile understanding of music and to train their ear for rhythm and different sounds. I also like to use elements of urban dance, hip-hop and breakdance as the children love to do this and think it's cool.
The most important thing for me in dance education is that the children develop courage and self-confidence in their own expression. They learn to playfully switch between presenting their own personalities and interacting with others and the group.
Digital dance classes
Since we had to put live classes on hold due to Corona we have kept in touch with the help of online formats and videos. I have put together many videos with our dances and stories that the children can dance at school. This can be done at variable times, individually and in small groups, and can thus be adapted according to what is required in terms of physical and social distancing. But of course we are looking forward to dancing live again and then hopefully without physical distancing. After all, dancing is associated with people being close to each other, with physicality and above all with community!
Author: Annemarie Papp | Dancer, dance teacher and choreographer
Further information: dva www.oead.at/morethanbytes