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Moving
On
Today
we are in a world of degrees, starting with the ISTD’s
FDI and CDE and progressing into Licentiate and Fellowship.
BAs and MAs are everywhere and being offered at dance
colleges and universities. Finally we have the very
prestigious PhD. The various aspects of dance are certainly
wide ranging as shown in the subjects required for essays,
dissertation and theses.
The
study of National Dance gives the student or teacher
a very sound foundation. This is where dance all began,
contemporary, tap and jazz all have their roots in folk
dance. It is surprising how many students and teachers
are following a degree course who have at some time
been involved in the National Dance syllabus.
In
the pipe-line at the moment there are several working
on PhDs, some with a National Dance based theme and
others motivated through the national work and channelled
into another direction. Two new Doctors were created
in 2007. Dr Margaret Gajewski, whose subject was The
Age of Enlightenment and George Noverre (a Dance Teacher
Training College at Kingston-upon-Thames) and Dr Ann
David whose subject was based on Indian Dance and who
now teaches at Roehampton College.
The
basic requirements of folk dance, i.e. the contact with
partners, co-operation, community spirit and individual
involvement (aspects which are present in Folk Dance
Studies, the National Dance Grades and the Vocational
syllabi) all relate to the overall pattern of dance
studies.
Robert Harrold
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