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Edouard Seguin
An educationist and physician born in Clamecy, Nievre, Seguin established the first private school in France for chidren with intellectual disabilities. Seguin took up a medical practice at Randall's Island Asylum to help improve the conditions of children with mental trauma. "He believed that connections between sensory muscles and intellectual training must be made." (Dunkin 59) -
Rudolf Steiner
An Austrian social reformer, philosopher, esotericist, and architect, Steiner desired to find synthesis between spirituality and science. He believed there were no possible limits for human knowledge and that individualism was essential to a human's existence. He created a a movement practice called Eurythmy, which he described as visual speech (Dunkin 60) -
Loie Fuller
An American actress with no formal dance training, Fuller created beautiful illusions with lighting and drapery. -
Émile Jaques-Dalcroze
A Swiss musician, music educator, and composer who developed a method of experiencing and learning music through movement. He used movement analogues for musical concepts in order to get a natural feel for expression. He recognized the significance of children moving to experience music. (Dunkin 60) -
Isadora Duncan
A pioneer in dance who revoutionized the art with her belief that dance could provide spiritual health to society. She performed solos to classical music and became a legend through her interpretation and artistry. -
Ruth St. Dennis
After her healthy, international career as a professional dancer, Ruth and her husband Ted Shawn formed the Denishawn Company in 1915. It was the training ground for many great artists such as Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, and Weidman. -
Margaret H'Doubler
H'Doubler created the first dance major program at the University of Wisconsin. Her pedagogy was a mixture of scientific description and expressing emotions through dance. She used the knowledge she had of the body to help dancers know how they were feeling (Dunkin 5). -
Martha Graham
One of the most influential figures in the modern dance world, Graham revolutionized the norm by far. She was the first dancer to perform at the White House, and recieved the Presidential Award of Freedom. As an educator, Graham taught her techniques to many young dancers in her later years. The cotract and release technique based on breathing was most widely taught by Graham. http://www.pbs.org/wnet/americanmasters/episodes/martha-graham/about-the-dancer/497/ -
Sylvia Ashton-Warner
A New Zealand writer, poet, and educator, she spent much of her time teaching Maori children with the commitment to "releasing native imagery and using it for material". She used writing, drawing, and dance as forms of expression. (Dunkin 60)
Ashton-Warner expressed, "You must be true to yourself. Strong enough to be true to yourself. Brave enough to be strong enough to be true to yourself. Wise enough to be brave enough to be strong enough to shape yourself from what you actually are". -
Dance in Public School Curriculum
In the 1930's, dance began being integrated in the public school curriculum. (Dunkin 3). -
Judith Jamison
American choreographer and dancer, Judith Jamison is the artistic director of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. She was trained in classical ballet and modern dance, and after a long professional career began teaching master classes of her own. She desires to work with dancers with a strong desire to work and increase their knowledge. http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/300197/Judith-Jamison -
Elementary and Secondary Education Act
"This is the same year Congress established the National Endowment for the Arts and for the Humanities. This legislation renewed interest in arts education and providing funding for artisits and art specialists to go into the school and provide art experience for students" (Dunkin 5). -
Boom
This so-called "Dance Boom" lasted for about fifteen years between 1965-1980. The government began to support dance education in the schools through federal funding. This led to an increased popularity in dance. (Dunkin 6). -
Dance Programs in the Public Schools
The importance of adding the arts to the school curriculum began to expand to an even greater extent. "1999-2000 United States Department of Education report regarding arts education in public Elementary and Secondary schools" (Dunkin 8).
