What teaching artists activities do you use to always immediately engage any population you work with? How can you, for example fulfill your teaching mission in a 45-minute workshop with random passersby?

What is a Universal Teaching Artist Activity?

As a dance teaching artist I’m always investigating physiological, historical, cultural and aesthetic elements of dance that can help me help audiences swiftly appreciate why dance, rhythm and movement are critical life tools.

Often, even if your audience chooses (opts-in) to attend your sessions, there are other micro-hurdles to someone being fully present to the experience.  Over the years I’ve combined styles and techniques to create parameters for the tools that serve me and my participants the best.

I call the tools that work universal arts activities:

A universal (arts) activity must provide immediate “buy-in” to the experience, plus active engagement and reflection moments, for every participant at all times.

To do this, I focus on:

Multiple points of entry/self-directed exploration 

As a dance teaching artist one of the things I often have to overcome immediately is the “I don’t dance syndrome.” Off the top, I often use a universal movement activity to challenge body image (especially with my favorite populations – ages 11-15 and seniors!). Universal teaching artist activities also address any self-consciousness about coordination, or other limiting internal scripts.

One way to “level the field” is to not use jargon or technical terms. Use plain language when describing how participants should do something.  It’s the difference between a teaching artist saying “dab the brush in the paint and make a diagonal line on the right side of the canvas” and “gently use light strokes to create perspective.” 

When a teaching artist’s request is so reasonable, it’s a small “win” to accomplish it. And then you do something else, and something else, and suddenly you’ve completed a portrait when you’ve always claimed that you’re not artistic.

That’s why paint nights are so effective (besides wine!). If you can follow simple instructions, you are instantly artistically gratified and creatively reawakened, in a community setting.

Recognition of the individual voice

Again using plain language, I give open-ended instructions that are open to many levels of interpretation. In this way even participants comfortable with creative movement or advanced technique students can immediately find meaning for themselves.

For example, an instruction like “act like a crab by just using your hands” might make a more animated mover wave and wiggle their fingers in an intricate air dance. Another person might just make a lazy claw near their thigh with one hand.  Both are cool and correct responses. And everyone has responded to the prompt (again, small win!) regardless of ability, experience or “comfortability” with the arts form. We’re going for these small wins again!

Intentional and purposeful group interaction

In universal teaching artist activities, if the individual doesn’t respond, the activity can’t go any further.  The group’s response is dependent on an individual’s participation.  But the individual still needs room to join on their own terms.

An obvious example is a game where something is passed from person to person (like telephone or hot potato).  How many participants are going to refuse to pass a pen to the next person if they’re sitting in the room? Yeah I know it happens (and it’s happened to me) but I can’t remember the last time it did.

Performing or interacting in a circle is another common classroom example of enforced group interaction. You don’t see the back of anyone’s head and everyone can look each other in the eye. 

Now, assess your teaching artist activities.

Chop up your “go-to” activity.  Does it:

1. Offer participants clear options on how to personally engage with the material?
2. Ask open-ended questions that “guarantee” a correct response?
3. Create moments of intentional group interaction?

I’ve found that running my lesson plan or activity through these three concepts, then it is significantly easier to move the class where I want them to go developmentally, than if I just bumrush.

I come from a dance perspective, and I am curious about what these ideas look like in other disciplines.  Thoughts? Want to collaborate? You know what to do please do it don’t hesitate go.

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I truly do want to hear from you!  I appreciate any opportunity to pontificate on these subjects.  Or, if I can help in any way, let me know.  

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