32162719 daci presentation

Dance Culture and the Curriculum: 

Dance Culture and the Curriculum

South Africa: a country of great contradictions: 

South Africa: a country of great contradictions Of beauty and ugliness, love and hate, anger and hope, trust and mistrust and A country in a period of exciting, challenging and frightening transformation

Background: 

Background Political change from minority-led, racially and culturally segregated rule to a majority-led, multicultural democracy Past ’apartheid’ policies excluded, disempowered and marginalised many, resulting in high levels of illiteracy, unemployment, poverty and social dysfunction.

A new democratic government has brought the opportunity for designing a radically new curriculum which includes: : 

A new democratic government has brought the opportunity for designing a radically new curriculum which includes: Arts and Culture Grade 0 – 9 and Dance Studies Grade 10 – 12

Curriculum Planning: 

Curriculum Planning Context, considerations, concerns and constraints Accommodation of local needs (and especially cultural diversity) as well as global needs Tensions of conflicting economic, political, social, cultural and educational imperatives

Context: 

Context Transformational Outcomes-Based Representation from all races, genders and stakeholders Change in the hidden curriculum from colonially imposed Christian National Education to African Renaissance emphasising“Ubuntu” - humanism = human rights, social justice, equality and democracy

Considerations: 

Considerations Redress the past Promote a culture of human rights and justice Ensure access, inclusion, equality, multi-culturalism, gender equity Be sensitive to issues of indigenous knowledge

Concerns: 

Concerns Representative writing groups unequal in capacity Broad participation process slow Contested terrain, protect turf Tension between local very different contexts vs national standards Tension between integrated African approach and Western discipline-specific approach

Tension no. 1: 

Tension no. 1 African Arts Integrated Communal Part of daily life Inclusive Western Arts Discipline Specific Celebrate Individual artist Experts

After decades of colonialism, anything hinting of European imperialism, such as classical music or ballet, was considered suspect. “Excellence” considered a politically incorrect word of exclusion: 

After decades of colonialism, anything hinting of European imperialism, such as classical music or ballet, was considered suspect. “Excellence” considered a politically incorrect word of exclusion

At the same time, the spirit of cultural inclusion required that classical music and ballet not be excluded and that access to these art forms be made available to those who were denied such access in the past.: 

At the same time, the spirit of cultural inclusion required that classical music and ballet not be excluded and that access to these art forms be made available to those who were denied such access in the past.

The challenge - to accommodate all cultures: 

The challenge - to accommodate all cultures Permeate cultural borders Challenge cultural assumptions in unique ways. Acknowledge evolving of cultures

African dance purists : 

African dance purists Tampering with culture and heritage Artificial appropriation; superficial application; vandalising the essence of the form Preserve dances in their original form - remaining true to their origin, function and meaning and as generational transmission of histories and ways of life

Traditional Dance: 

Traditional Dance Ask for permission to use rituals and traditions on stage

Tension 2: 

Tension 2 A number of imperatives seemed to be in conflict with each other: Social reconstruction emphasising cultural, social, personal goals Economic reconstruction emphasising global competitiveness, high skills and knowledge, job creation

Hotly debated question : 

Hotly debated question What should schools teach? Should it be: about arts and culture? through the arts? or in the arts?

Which imperative could we serve? : 

Which imperative could we serve? Cultural Previously the basis for stereotyping, discrimination, prejudice Should transmit and preserve culture Promote cultural awareness Celebrate cultural diversity Political Advance ideology of the ruling party Promote nation building

Economic : 

Economic Induct into discipline-specific knowledge towards tertiary training & a career? Develop dance literacy to build informed audiences? Personal Nurture and develop creativity, resourcefulness, confidence and self-esteem; promote healing Social Develop social interactive skills – the ability to communicate, share, care, lead, follow, negotiate (very important in a new democracy)

Instrumentalist Approach: 

Instrumentalist Approach Arts as a vehicle to teach across the curriculum Holistic learning, vibrant tool BUT No progress beyond the scribble/dabble stage Deny accumulation of economic or cultural capital, or entry into the discipline-specific knowledge hierarchy and thereby reproduce marginalisation. Violates the right to excellence Explorations within limited pedestrian vocabulary soon boring Undermining dance as an respected and autonomous subject worthy of a place in the curriculum

Constraints: 

Constraints i) what the country can afford (class sizes 40- 60) ii) who could teach the learning area and Iii) how much leeway the timetable would allow.

Partial Solutions: 

Partial Solutions Reconciliation - cater for all Eclectic Arts and Culture curriculum includes the arts separately and together, reaching across cultures Our curriculum is overloaded

New Possibilities: 

New Possibilities The Dance Studies Grade 10 – 12 Curriculum is structured under the umbrella of choreography and includes a major dance focus and an outcome on indigenous dance.

Focus on creativity: 

Focus on creativity African dance has become part of the formal and non-formal curriculum, influenced by, and influencing, other dance forms

Unique emergent SA culture: 

Unique emergent SA culture Country’s transition is impacting on everything - interesting times – new world opening up Innovative artists experimenting with fusion

Empower the teachers: 

Empower the teachers Massive teacher re-training Generate new teacher qualifications

Cross Cultural Dance: 

Cross Cultural Dance Avoiding ethnic-tribal stereotyping

Conclusion: 

Conclusion Richness of debate emerges from ‘difference’ Culture strongly emphasised throughout the curriculum Not business as usual New horizons of expectations – new possibilities Iterative process of trial, reflection and adaptation Curriculum needs to be dynamic and responsive

Dance is exploding No limits, no boundaries : 

Dance is exploding No limits, no boundaries