I have heard the argument that the dance classroom or studio should be one place that is free of the wired and wireless world of technology. At first, I agreed wholeheartedly. It is unfortunate that so much of a student's free time is spent with the Wii, the Xbox, or watching t.v. While some of these programs have attempted to incorporate fitness and physical activity, studies show that these are more beneficial for older adults, not children.
Nevertheless, in the professional dance studio and concert venue, technology abounds. It is continually used by artists in creating new forms of expression. In a class I taught yesterday, students gathered around an Iphone to watch a dance company. We then used what we saw to inspire our movements. Wireless access is difficult to obtain in the school, so the Iphone proved an effective, last minute backup. While not perfect, it worked. I have also used technology to analyze a classes own dance creations. I know that I am simply brushing the surface of possibilities of using technology in dance classes. By presenting the educational and artistic merits of technology, we give students another use for the technology they already operate.
