The interpersonal dance teaching style is the foundation upon which all specific teaching skills, whether technical, physical, or mental, are built. Interpersonal teaching style (ITS) is defined as the manner in which dance teachers present themselves to and communicate with their dancers. How they look, how they carry themselves, how they communicate both verbally and nonverbally, have a profound effect upon the dancers with whom they interact. Particularly among young, developing teachers, this notion should be considered and addressed.
The interpersonal teaching style is comprised of several specific components. They include issues related to leadership, authority and discipline, overt and covert communication with dancers, teachers, and others, the effective communication of technical and performance information, organizational skills, and teachers’ response to stress and pressure.
Teachers’ interpersonal style will influence their students in several ways. First, it will affect their overall attitude and perspective toward their training and performing, e.g., whether performance is viewed as enjoyable or stressful. Students’ interactions with their teachers largely determine their perception of dance.
Second, teachers’ ITS will affect their dancers’ motivation to practice and perform. In other words, their ITS will dictate whether dancers perceive their experiences in the studio as positive and healthy, thereby increasing their desire to participate, or as negative and detrimental, thus reducing their motivation to participate.
Third, the teachers’ ITS will affect the dancers’ receptivity to the specific teaching skills that they employ during the course of classes. Quite simply, if dancers do not like or respect their teacher, they are going to be less receptive to the subsequent instruction and it is likely that training will be viewed as a negative experience.
The type of dancers that are to be taught is an important issue that must be considered relative to the suitable ITS. Several dancer factors have to be examined. First, what is the goal of the participation? Clearly, teachers would behave differently if they were working with a junior program who’s primary goal was participation and fun as compared to elite dancers training for professional careers.
A second contributing factor is the personalities of the dancers. For example, a particular teaching style would have different effects on dancers who are motivated vs. unmotivated or sensitive vs. tough. A highly demanding teacher would be effective for tough, unmotivated dancers, but sensitive, motivated dancers would probably respond better to a more supportive teacher. The point that must be emphasized again is that identifying the particular needs, interests, and goals of a group of dancers is essential in determining what ITS will be most effective.
It must also be stressed that, like technical instruction, there is no single best ITS. There are many interpersonal teaching styles that are effective. In fact, for every successful teacher, there is a unique and valuable style. For instance, some are funny and energetic, others are serious and encouraging. However, despite the diverse styles, they share some common characteristics such as the ability to instill self-confidence and motivation, and to make the learning experience fun and satisfying. As a result, it is not so important for teachers to mold themselves into the ITS of a famous, well-respected teacher. Rather, what is important is that teachers know what ITS they want to convey and then work to develop it. In addition, the successful teacher does not have one ITS that is used with all dancers. Rather, different styles will be used to fulfill the needs of each individual dancer.
In order for teachers to develop an effective ITS, it is first necessary to evaluate their present style. It is sometimes the case that teachers are unaware of their own demeanor, i.e., how they behave during classes or at performances. As a result, the development of this awareness will enable teachers to judge the quality and effectiveness of their current ITS. This process can be accomplished in several ways. A technique that is often used in academic education is the video-taping of teaching performances. Applied to dance teaching, an actual class or performance can recorded and then reviewed, enabling teachers to become aware of the particular attitudes and behaviors that they exhibit. Self-monitoring of behavior and feedback from dancers and, more importantly, from other teachers are additional tools that are valuable in the evaluation process.
Once the current ITS is clarified, it is necessary to establish the criteria for the desired ITS. This can be done by specifying all of the desired characteristics that teachers wish to project. These attributes might include being more enthusiastic, speaking more slowly, or using more physical demonstrations of skills.
When both the current and desired ITS are established, they can be compared for congruence. If some disparity exists between the two, then a plan of development can be implemented that employs self-monitoring, practice, and feedback as a means of bridging the gap between the present and desired styles. By following this procedure, teachers can gain a greater understanding of and enhanced control over the manner in which they communicate with their dancers. This process results in a highly effective, individualized interpersonal teaching style that enables teachers to maximize the particular aspects of dance they wish to convey to their dancers.
In addition to developing the overall interpersonal teaching style, it is also useful to identify and nurture specific behaviors within the ITS. In other words, regardless of the ITS they develop, teachers should develop a wide repertoire of behaviors in order to effectively address the different situations which they often face. Teachers who possess a broad behavioral repertoire have the ability to successfully handle more types of dancers, problems, and circumstances.
A step-by-step procedure can be used to facilitate this development process. The first step is to conduct a teaching task analysis as a means of specifying the particular responsibilities of the teachers and the behaviors that are associated with them. Second, an dancer analysis in which the attributes of the dancers are examined and conclusions can be drawn as to the most effective means of dealing with them. Third, teachers can identify their current and desired behavioral repertoire. Finally, a program of behavioral and attitudinal change can be developed to bring the current and desired repertoires into congruence, thereby maximizing the work that teachers do with their dancers.
