By: Liz Monnier
Anne Green Gilbert, an Inspiring Model for Teaching Dance
Anne Green Gilbert founded the Creative Dance Center in Seattle, WA in 1981 and has since written several books, produced DVD’s and traveled the world teaching workshops in her unique method of teaching dance. I was one of her workshop students in New York City probably 15 years ago. Based on the 8 movement fundamental movement patterns that humans go through in the first year of life, Anne developed the “Brain Dance.” Fort Wayne Dance Collective instructors use this structure as a basis for many of our programs both onsite and through outreach programs. You’ll find Anne’s books on the shelf of our library, many of them worn and tattered from constant use!
Anne also directs a children’s dance company called Kaleidoscope now in it’s 32nd year. This year there are 33 children in the group, ages 7 – 16. They recently performed at the Broadway Performance Hall in Seattle coinciding with my Feldenkrais Training schedule. What a treat to not only see the performance, but to speak with Anne back stage and warm up with these amazing children. Fort Wayne Dance Collective is starting a children’s performing group this summer named the “Pineapple Dance Project,” and I thought this would be a good learning opportunity to see how Anne’s “Kaleidoscope” group worked.
It appears to me that Anne structures Kaleidoscope to be self-sufficient with older students helping younger students. Performers also create their own choreography! The concert included dances with a variety of themes and it was obvious to see how the element of play intersected with dance elements of space, time, energy and body.
“Summer Storm” used rain barrels in many ways, again displaying a cooperative spirit amongst performers with older students pulling younger students around the stage. “Wandered” was a trio with one tall and strong young man with two small dancers, each wrapped around one ankle like he was wearing them like a boot.
The concert ended with “Cortical Connections,” based on the Brain Dance elements. I could clearly see how each group of dancers played with the patterns, creating amazing choreography that flowed easily from one to another.
During my second weekend in Seattle I went to Anne’s studio on the north side of Seattle (no easy feat to get there and I had quite an adventurous bus ride home that I can share in another blog!)
She has a beautiful space and it was wonderful to see Anne teaching her method to a group of dancers of varied skill levels. Like an expert surfer, Anne rode the waves of her student’s abilities, flowing with their movements, ideas and successful moments.
As Fort Wayne Dance Collective structures our own children’s dance performance group this summer, I hope to incorporate that same cooperative and creative energy and I can’t wait to see what happens!
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