Time to chat: Bringing discussion into your dance classes

By Natalie Dodd

From her perspective at Rambert Grades as a Syllabus Contributor and Delivering Artist, and as a teacher who delivers Rambert Grades to her own students, Natalie Dodd writes about her experiences of the benefits of bringing discussions into the dance studio.

I was sixteen years old when I began full-time training at Rambert School, which took me from a primarily classical training to a split of ballet and contemporary dance each day. I recall stepping into a creative space where, for the first time, I was suddenly required to form and communicate my opinion alongside my peers who were for the most-part, two or more years older than me.

Up to this point, I had embodied there being a sense of right and wrong and this felt applicable to my body and my technique, as well as my observations. I thought it imperative to be ‘correct’ and that if I had a level of uncertainty, it was not worth the risk. Suddenly thrust into an environment where I was encouraged to question, to agree, to disagree, to not be sure, to enthuse, to vocalise a spark of inspiration, to know myself, to connect with others and to contextualise my experiences, was intimidating and slow to navigate. It wasn’t that I was holding back my thoughts, it was that I truly felt I didn’t have any to share. I just wasn’t programmed to do it.

And so the re-wiring process gradually unfolded, partly during my training, with the bulk of this shift taking place once I began my teaching practice, most notably, once I started working on the creation of Rambert Grades. With aims of building a syllabus that would sculpt dancers holistically and create positive change in the industry, we had to delve into what we felt would have empowered us as young dancers. The ability to discuss and divulge became a top priority.

Hannah Kidd working on the Creative Strand with Rambert School Pre-Voc students. Image by Nicole Guarino.

“Personalities emerge and grow in the most unexpected ways when given the chance.”

Making time to talk

On the surface, making time to talk during one’s class may not seem hugely impactful. However, I have experienced that creating space for discussion contributes to breaking down the hierarchy by giving time for everyone. Making time to talk allows for individuals to be vulnerable and know that there will be no judgement, with those who tend to try to fade into the background given a platform to come forwards. I have seen personalities emerge and grow in presence in the most unexpected ways when given the chance to.

Discussion connects brain to body in a conscious way where we deepen our physical experience through intellect. Building the ability to discuss and explore, and to do so with confidence, is a transferable skill that builds a person’s understanding of themselves. A student may be more able to advocate for themselves in the studio and in their daily life, and their creative voice strengthens over time.

Preparing them for the future

If a student is to enter the professional dance world, their ability to be present, to communicate a sense of who they are and to contribute ideas and movement becomes essential.

Many of us believe that a dance class is a safe space for our students to be used as an expressive and creative outlet. If we as facilitators embed conversation into that space, there is further opportunity for our dancers to gain a greater sense of connection and for us to learn how best to guide them.

Discussion gives us an opportunity to get to know what inspires our students, to plan more effectively and to nurture relationships. My role is to strive to deliver the necessary tools for each person to take ownership of their training and to bring their unique viewpoints and qualities into what they do. A key part of this is talking about what we are doing and creating a culture of compassion and curiosity where everyone is open to having their mind changed, noticing something new and challenging themselves.

Bringing discussions into the studio

On a practical level, building discussion into each class requires me to be flexible with my teaching and plans; to be able to adapt and divert onto a tangent if it feels valuable; to be led by those in the room and what they need on any given day. I aim to not under or over-estimate the capacity of an age group as the ways in which we all reflect are not dissimilar, it is the language and complexity of thought that differs.

We observe what we are seeing:

· What stood out?

· What can we take from what we saw?

· Can you describe it?

· How does this technical element relate to this performance element?

We take time to consider our senses:

· how does it feel in your body?

· What sound matches the movement?

· How does the music impact this?

We brainstorm:

· What do you already know about this?

· What do you want to understand?

· How can we use this knowledge?

We share our experiences:

· What did you like or dislike?

· What did it make you think of?

· Can you relate it to images, places, colours, or emotions?

· Did anything surprise you?

Overall, as we encourage open discussions through the Rambert Grades Creative Strand, we keep coming back to the central question of “what did you notice?”, a question which acts as my springboard with endless possibilities for layering prompts and contributions of my own.

A student may be more able to advocate for themselves in the studio and in their daily life, and their creative voice strengthens over time.

Discussion and conversation is encouraged throughout the Creative Strand of the Grades 1-8 syllabus, but students at all stages of their movement journey will benefit. Included in the structure of the new Creative Dance for Early Years syllabus are prompts, games and exercises to encourage children at the very beginning of their dance journey to observe, embody, create and move and to communicate how they feel.

No offering too big or small

It feels important to ensure that each of my students’ offerings is appreciated, no matter how big, small, random or literal they are.

Early on, we demonstrate the spectrum of personal thought and how vast and unpredictable this can be. There are no rules and if I make this clear in my own approach, the dancers should feel free to do so too. Different formats are useful tools - discussing as one class, in small groups or in pairs. We come together for moments to find common ground, relate elements to their lived experiences and pepper in humour. Discussion doesn’t always need to be vocal – we can offer our perspectives through movement, writing, showing materials, and any other way a person wishes to express themselves.

Discussions may be introduced in the studio at the earliest stage. Pictured: Natalie Dodd delivering a Creative Movers class from the Rambert Grades Creative Dance for Early Years syllabus.
Image by Jack Thomson.

Given a little time and energy, discussion is a vital tool we can utilise within dance training to allow dancers to take up space and understand the value of their viewpoint. If I can contribute to an individual’s capacity to reflect and communicate their thoughts effectively, to find inspiration and act on it, and to take risks without the fear of failure, the reach of this impact may ripple far beyond the dance studio.

Natalie Dodd is a dance artist based in London. She trained at Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance, later completing a Masters degree at the Northern School of Contemporary Dance. She is a Syllabus Contributor, Delivering Artist, Examiner and Ambassador and Sales Representative for Rambert Grades.

@nataliedodd

Upcoming training courses and events

The syllabus training course for Creative Dance for Early Years is suitable for dance teachers, dance professionals and early years providers and teachers. Rambert Grades membership is required to book all courses.

All courses run online over two days, with a three hour session on each day. Courses are currently offered in mornings for those in UK/Europe and evenings for those in Australia/NZ.

Upcoming Rambert Grades training:

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