The following survey was the point-of-departure for two ATG Monthly Meeting Sessions focused on IDENTITY:

It is comprised of a series of rudimentary questions aimed at identifying and cataloguing the various componants of our individual (and our shared) teaching practices.

"Who are we as individual teachers? And who are we as a local group of teachers?"

* Answers to this survey will be collated and posted shortly.

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DANCE

• What is dance?
• What is modern dance?

TECHNIQUE

• What is technique?
• What is skill?
• Is there a difference between skill and technique?
• What is artistry?
• Is artistry a skill or something personal or innate?
• Is artistry something that can be taught?
• Is artistry something that can be cultivated?

TEACHING

• What is teaching?
• Is teaching a skill or an art?
• What do you teach?
• How do you teach?
• What are your priorities as a teacher? (See Teaching Hierarchy)
• What are your expectations of your students?
• And why?
• What are your expectations of yourself as a teacher?
• And why?
• What are your expectations of other teachers/colleagues?
• What makes a good class?
• Describe/Define yourself as a teacher...
• Describe/Define yourself as a student...
• Describe/Define what makes an ideal teacher
• Describe/Define what makes an ideal student
• Which training methods have had the biggest impact/influence on your dancing?
• Which training methods have had the biggest impact/influence on your teaching?
• Which teacher(s) have had the biggest impact/influence on your dancing? Positive or negative...
• Which teacher(s) have had the biggest impact/influence on your teaching? Positive or negative...
• What is the dumbest/worst thing a teacher has ever said to you?
• What is the smartest/best thing a teacher has ever said to you?
• How would you define the difference between training & technique class?
• How do you approach a warm-up vs. a class?

GOOD VS. BAD

• Is there such a thing as good dance or bad dance?
• If so...
• What is good dance?
• What is bad dance?
• What makes a dancer a “good” dancer?
• Name a dancer who embodies the qualities or abilities you admire most...
• Describe why...

NL / A’DAM

• How would you define/describe the “Dutch” dance scene?
• How would you define/describe the “Amsterdam” dance scene?
• How would you define/describe the Dutch approach to dance training?

HISTORY

• How important is dance history?
•     to you as a teacher
•     to your students
•     to makers
• What elements of dance history do you feel most attached or akin to? if any?
• What elements of dance history do you feel most inspired by?
• What non-dance elements, approaches, theories, etc, have most inspired and/or influenced your teaching and/or approach to dancing.

CURRICULUM

• What would you say are the key components of a core dance curriculum. ?
• Do you see Ballet as a necessary component of modern/contemporary dance training?
• Why?
• Do you see the classic modern dance techniques (Graham/Cunningham, Limon, etc) as a necessary component of modern/contemporary dance training?
• Why?
• Is it necessary to incorporate non-dance training elements in a core curriculum?
• If so - which/what...?