Writing About Dance

Master the art of writing about dance! And learn about dance at the same time. This comprehensive guide provides students with instructions for writing about dance in many different contexts. It brings together the many different kinds of writing that can be effectively used in a variety of dance classes from technique to appreciation. In addition, it offers strategies for improving critical thinking skills, and shows how writing and critical thinking are closely linked. Part I focuses on informal writing such as freewriting, with sample exercises and prompts. Part II outlines approaches to writing three different kinds of formal papers: critiques, essays and research papers. Writing about dance teaches on two levels. First, the writer is learning dance content as s/he writes. Engaging in the writing assignment causes the writer to take a look at an aspect of dance and to become a 'momentary expert'. Secondly, writing itself is a way of learning. Writing involves the brain in three kinds of interaction, that is, the intellectual act of critically thinking, the physical act of writing or typing, and the visual aspect of seeing the writing on the page. The critical thinking and contemplation involved in writing can deepen students understanding of dance technique, dance creativity, and dance as an art form. Students will use this book on their own, or teachers may make assignments from it. It teaches about dance writing, but also about the very basics of dance appreciation.