Dance in Schools

Dance Connect

I believe passionately in making dance a stronger feature in education in schools across the country. A dance program for schools offers access to art and physical activity in one, involving students in innovatively solving movement tasks.

I provide primary and secondary schools with a program of Creative Dance as recommended in the National Curriculum for Physical Education: Dance Strand.

If you would like to have a creative dance program come to your school, please get in touch by phoning: 086 877 62 30.

Benefits:

There are many benefits of creative dance in education. Most of all, children and teenagers develop a joy in being physically and artistically active. Sessions foster creativity and innovation and build confidence, while improving body and movement awareness, skill and coordination. Students learn to cooperate and communicate in pairs and small groups to a theme, and to explore and understand dance as a means of self-expression.

My Program:

I develop and deliver creative dance sessions for 1st-6th class and 1st-6th year that will take students through dance exploration, creation, performance, and appreciation. The sessions can be closely linked to other subject areas or focus on specific topics. The outcome can be a final performance, a short film, or simply a focus on the process.

My programme involves:

  • What: 6-12 weeks of Creative Dance classes suitable for 1st– 6th class and 1st– 6th year
  • When: One day or more a week, during school hours, 2 or more lessons in succession (30-60 minutes)
  • Where: In your school hall or suitable classroom
  • Cost: please contact me for this
  • Extras: An information leaflet for parents can be included
  • Topics and themes to be incorporated, and the desired final outcome can be discussed in cooperation with you, your teachers, or students.

My dance in education sessions introduce the basic elements of dance, are accessible to all, and structured into:

  • exploration
  • development
  • performance
  • observation
  • reflection

I like to communicate with schools and teachers on what areas or issues may need addressing, what material the children are covering or having difficulties with. I integrate these into my sessions thematically. In this way, dance can be another tool for engaging and supporting your students in their learning.

My Background:

I am a dance and drama teacher with experience in teaching boys and girls.

Kindly supported with a bursary award from Cork City Council, I trained in Community Creative dance leadership with the Laban Guild, a National Governing Body in the UK, that is recognised by the Arts and Sports Council of England and Wales and by the Irish Arts Council. I have an MA in Drama and Theatre Studies from UCC (2006) and a background in dance, drama and languages. In 2016, I set up Dance Theatre Project Cork, now Starling Dance Theatre.

My Vision:

I hope to connect dancers and choreographers with interested schools as the program develops.

In the spirit of the film Rhythm is it, and following on from pioneering programmes such as Dance in Schools in Germany and Chance to Dance in the UK, let’s connect dancers and choreographers with our young generations and teachers.

Let’s equip our children and youth with more ways to learn and practice skills that empower them to make imaginative and innovative choices.

Any future entrepreneur will need not only to think outside the box and be confident in creating, developing but also in presenting their ideas.

Interested?

Please do get I touch if you would like to know more or are interested in bringing a Dance in Education program to your school. Simply phone 086 877 6230 or email me at starlingdancetheatre@gmail.com.

Schools, I have worked with:

Colaiste Muire, Crosshaven

St. Aloysius Secondary School, Cork
Cork Educate Together National School, Cork