Sara Barney: Observations from the Classroom

Sara reflects on her observations of an LCI instructional unit at an NYC middle school with Lynn, an LCI teaching artist.

Teaching dance technique and composition is familiar. I truly enjoy the interaction I have with the children I have worked with. I find they give me the motivation to move forward in my art. I take my job as a teacher very seriously and can see the various importances of my role. In this role, I am teaching technique, encouraging an appreciation for the art form, cultivating guidance down the path of becoming a professional dancer/choreographer/teacher, as well as allowing individuals to express themselves through movement. Personally, I enjoy giving children that safe haven for discovery and exploration of movement that they may not have had otherwise.

I have enjoyed being able to take a step back and truly observe a classroom setting while being in this middle school. In this situation, I am freed from extra stress of being “on point.” The pressure is off now from being the facilitator, and I can enjoy the process. Being able to listen and watch is bringing new light on children’s responsiveness. I now have the opportunity to notice when activities are flourishing, in addition to catching the moments when things begin to fray and control becomes a bit more difficult. Each situation is typical and should be expected; though, learning how to deal with these difficult situations of maintaining focus and control is the tricky part. No matter how old the group is that you are working with, they each come with their rewards as well as difficulties. The ability to adapt to each individual situation takes patience as well as practice, and I am very thankful that I have the opportunity to build on both right now.

For me, I have recognized that teaching is something that motivates me to continue striving for the best in my life, and in particular, my art. The children we teach today are the next generation, not to sound too cliché. This is something I think that we all need to put more focus on in our day-to-day decisions we make. Our lives are difficult and tiring and a bunch of other things that many complain about, but just because we are tired doesn’t mean we can’t strive for a better future for the next generation. The next generation cannot improve if we do not help them. Art, in particular, allows for innovation and exploration. We must continue and push forward to help them be expressive individuals.

The children that we are working with right now in the school are an array of grades and levels. They represent the common varieties you would find in a middle school. I feel lucky to have this opportunity of diversity. I really enjoy the moment when children find a connection to the work, and you can see their whole bodies light up. You can see how empowered they become. Their confidence begins to grow right in front of you. I find those moments most inspiring.

In our first lesson we explored how the body is used in Flamenco dance. The upper body is lifted with the gaze of our eyes on an upward trajectory. The lower body is grounded. Lynn guides and asks the children to explore these types of feelings in the body. Afterward Lynn asks, “How did that movement make you feel? Write down a word or a phrase about it.” While doing this activity this past week in the school, I found myself intrigued by a little boy. He was very respectable and quiet. He followed all guidance and direction throughout the activity. When we came to the moment to shout out loud the key word on how the movement made us feel, we heard a variety of feelings: funny, lifted, heavy, big, alive, silly, weird, etc. When it was the little boy’s turn, he yelled, “AWESOME!” This warmed my heart. Simple activities can make children experience things they never had before and possibly in very different ways. Movement is something that can stretch you to new places. Children continue to surprise me, and I am so happy for that.