Doing design at the beginning of a class is some thing I learnt from Mangala (the Creative Dance Studio in Melbourne where I started on my journey). They call it centering and is provides a gentle segue from the some what frantic life out side the studio to the more calm and focused atmosphere in the studio. Many different materials can be used.....little terra-cotta pots and chopsticks can become villages, felt pieces can be made into pictures, stones or jewels into fantastic patterns.
This week each child was given a bowl and a handful of jewels to put around the rim of bowl placed upside down on the rug. When that was taken away there was a perfect circle that could have a central design added or what ever the dancer wanted to do. I have to keep an eye on the time...design is very compelling and some dancers get so involved that they would do it for the whole hour. It is a happy memory for many older dancers who don't have it as part of their class any more. Even last night one teenager asked if they could do "jewels" this week..... mmmm.... I think she might have just wanted a rest though!
Do you have any activities for helping promote concentration and focus in the class? I would love to hear.
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