The Performance in Context Model: a 21st century tertiary dance

teaching pedagogy

Authors:

Avril Huddy Kym Stevens

a.huddy@qut.edu.au km.stevens@qut.edu.au
Queensland University of Technology Queensland University of Technology
Creative Industries, Dance Creative Industries, Dance

Abstract
Despite tertiary institutions acknowledging that reflective practice is an
essential component of undergraduate dance teacher training, there is
often a disparity between the tertiary students’ reflective skills and the
more sophisticated reflective ability needed to navigate the 21st century
workforce (Silva 2008). This paper charts the evolution of a dance
teaching reflective pedagogy within a suite of three units across a three-
year undergraduate dance teacher-training course for school, community
and studio dance teachers. This reflective pedagogy based on exploration,
collaboration, critical questioning and connections with community forms
the basis of a model of tertiary dance teacher- training; the Performance in
Context Model (PCM).
Over the past four years, through four cycles of action research, the
PCM pedagogy, context and engagement with community has developed
into a successful model integrating practical dance teaching skills, artistry
and community engagement. The PCM represents a holistic collaborative
approach to dance teacher education: the marrying of ‘teacher-as-artist’,
‘teacher-as-performer’ and ‘teacher-as-researcher’. More specifically, it
emphasises the need for mature, reflective, receptive and flexible
approaches in response to dance teaching and learning. These are
enacted in a variety of contexts, with tertiary dance teaching students
identifying as teaching artists, as well as researchers of their own practice.

Keywords: Teaching artist; tertiary dance teacher training; dance;

reflective practice; dance pedagogy

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Introduction
Researchers within the fields of Education and the Arts, agree that reflective
practice is an essential component of undergraduate teacher training. Despite
tertiary institutions acknowledging these needs there is often a disparity between
the tertiary students’ reflective skills and the more sophisticated abilities needed
to navigate the 21st century workforce (Silva 2008). According to Silva (2008: 5),
senior policy analyst at Education Sector, business leaders require graduates
who are ‘…independent thinkers, problem solvers and vision makers.’ This
necessitates the development of resilience and self-understanding, requiring both
conscious and unconscious critical analysis, and the development of
autonomous thinking, transferable to other learning contexts (Dirkx et al. 2006).
Reflective practice has long been upheld as an essential process within
both the education and artistic communities (Yoder 1993; Zeichner 1987).
Reflective thinking leads to reflective judgments as performer, teacher and
researcher, to look beyond what is expected (McCormack 2001). Therefore,
when training dance teaching artists, it is relevant to approach reflective practice
as a process akin to the creative process, immersing students in dialogues, both
internal and external, that exist around teaching practice (Burnard 2006). Risk
taking is a natural part of the creative process as the artist explores and
experiments with ideas. Reflective teaching practice becomes the same process,
as the teacher moves away from comfortable patterned teaching behaviours to
engage in activities that come as products of thought unique to the situation
(Raiber 2001). This shifts the focus from ‘teacher as expert’ toward a notion of
teachers embracing vulnerability as a catalyst for pedagogical risk taking,
researching and creative thinking through an empathetic approach that connects
to the collaborative values of community.
This paper describes and charts the evolution of a dance teaching
reflective pedagogy within a suite of three units across a three-year
undergraduate teacher-training course for school, community and studio dance
teaching artists. As tertiary teaching academics, the researchers were invested in
this research due to its potential to enliven current dance teaching practices
within the university. Both researchers, as experienced dance teaching artists in
multiple contexts, were expertly positioned to guide this research. The
development of this dance reflective pedagogy has been underpinned by the
findings of research undertaken during a community based dance education
project, Q150, in 2010 (Huddy and Stevens 2011). Q150 involved tertiary dance
teaching students in their second year of dance teacher training at the
Queensland University of Technology (QUT). The Project’s design involved three
components: artistic development, pedagogic development and implementation.
The participants researched social and artistic dance histories and practices
across Queensland towns. From their research, they created dance works
specific to those local communities. The works created formed the basis for
primary and secondary school workshops taught by the participants.
The Q150 project highlighted a number of dilemmas in and around the
training of dance teachers in this tertiary setting. Of significance, was the need to
create a training framework that allows the tertiary dance teaching students to

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develop sophisticated research and interpretation skills, and diversify and grow
their skill sets: as researchers, choreographers, collaborators, performers, writers
and teachers. Furthermore, the Q150 project illuminated the need for the learning
to provide these students with experiences that make aesthetic connections
between dance and meaning making,; develop collaborative approaches to
dance teacher education,; provide more guided time to work choreographically to
create the synergies between the research, the community and the artistic
product; and, mentoring and exposure to a variety of artistic practice (Huddy and
Stevens 2011).
Q150 research (Huddy and Stevens 2011) formed the seed for a model of
tertiary dance teacher training that resulted in a further longitudinal action
research project that developed the Performance in Context Model (PCM). This
model creates links between QUT and the broader community from which it
draws students, and where graduates will ultimately practice (Huddy and Stevens
2011). It represents a holistic collaborative approach to dance teacher education:
the marrying of ‘teacher-as-artist’, ‘teacher-as-performer’ and ‘teacher-as-
researcher’. More specifically, it emphasises the need for mature, reflective,
receptive and flexible approaches in response to dance teaching and learning.
This is enacted in a variety of contexts, with the tertiary dance teaching students
identifying as teaching artists, as well as researchers of their own practices.
Reflective practice is pivotal to the structure of the PCM. It is embedded in
course design, structure, learning activities, course delivery, assessment and
evaluation. The implementation of reflective practice in tertiary dance teacher
training aids in the development of a philosophy that embraces the view of
teaching skills as a work in progress rather than a finished product: an ongoing
cyclic practice, transferable to a range of professional contexts. This process
models the action research cycles and the reflective processes used by artists in
the creative process.
Embedded, scaffolded, reflective practice across undergraduate dance
teacher training that allows student teachers to develop authentic and
transferable teaching and artistic skills is paramount. Silva (2008, 2) suggests
that ‘...comfort with ideas and abstractions is the passport of a good job.’
Engaging tertiary dance teaching students in critical reflection fosters positive
self-perception, professional identity, and self-efficacy and promotes in them the
development of curiosity, creativity and innovation, enabling them to respond to a
range of teaching contexts.
This research investigates the application of a reflective practice
framework to tertiary dance teacher training. This reflective framework scaffolds
reflexive learning and promotes inquiry-based learning in dance teacher training.
The first year unit uses description and interpretation as the primary reflective
tool. The second year unit encourages a more complex engagement with
reflection through the use of the organising principles of Head, Heart, Hands
(Bruhlmeier 2010). In the capstone unit, completed in the final year of the
undergraduate dance teacher training course, students’ reflect using Kolb’s
Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb 2005; Kolb 1984).

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 The information in this article is delivered in such a way as to reinforce the
interconnectedness of the Performance in Context Model and reflective
pedagogy. The article leads with a detailed description of the Performance in
Context Model outlining the three phases of the Model, followed by a discussion
on the research methodology. The later part of the article focuses on the
reflective pedagogy developed through each of the three phases of the Model.
The discussion here focuses on the initial action research cycle: explore,
experiment and adapt, and details subsequent development and refinements and
the resulting implementation of the Model. The paper concludes with an
examination of the reflective practice as it is enacted in the Performance in
Context Model.

The Performance in Context Model: Training the teaching artist

The PCM is comprised of a sequence of three project-based performance units,
Performance in Context 1, 2 and 3, designed to respond to industry and
community opportunities, providing unique, real-world learning activities for
tertiary dance teaching students. These opportunities are broad and include
projects commissioned by local festivals, dance companies, community
organisations and educational facilities. In any one year, this could include
students involved in projects as part of the Out of the Box Festival (an
International under eights arts festival), Buddha’s Birthday Festival (a multi-
cultural celebration in a metropolitan area), an inclusive collaborative community
dance project in a local special needs primary school, or a literacy linked
workshop series in regional primary schools.
The units are offered in sequential order, one unit per year of study. They
are fundamental to the dance course and allow students to integrate the skills
acquired in theoretical, technical, artistic and creative fields of learning, to the act
of performance. These skills are best developed in a range of teaching and
learning contexts enabling tertiary dance teaching students to be adaptable and
responsive to the performative act of dancing and dance teaching, as they
develop and become confident dance practitioners.
Performance of dance is often considered as a traditional, theatre based,
technique driven activity that relies on studio practice led by genre specific
experts. Performance in the dance teaching context needs to be driven by a
broader range of criteria that encompasses choreography and responding and
reflecting on the process of performance, dance works and dancers. This view is
inclusive and layered but more specifically, highlights the interconnectedness of
dance as an art form. Performance in this context is therefore multidimensional
and will include teaching as a performative, though not theatrical, art form. The
skills of the performer, which may include nuanced communication both verbal
and non-verbal, engaging students as audience, rehearsal and preparation
processes, and consideration of complex transitions between ideas, technique
and embodiment. These skills are developed through the creative components of
the units. Consideration has been given to building connections for dance
teaching students between functional teaching and transformative, creative,

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performative teaching. The PCM does not preference one approach to
performance over the other. However, in light of the fact that the majority of
students come from a technique only approach to performance, the focus of the
Model is on unfolding teaching as performance.
The PCM framework reflects the creative process as described by Wallas
(1926): Preparation, Incubation, Illumination and Verification. Performance in
Context 1 acts as the Preparation stage of the creative process. In this unit
tertiary dance teaching students’ investigate and gather ideas, and observe the
breadth of teaching practice. Performance in Context 2 is the Incubation stage,
which demands students explore through active participation. This unit also
covers the Illumination stage of the creative process, which demands that
students find solutions to problems and begin developing requirements for
complete lesson experiences. Performance in Context 3 then, mirrors the
Verification stage of the creative process where students have opportunities to
work on the product, refining ideas and developing their dance teaching tool kit.
The PCM provides a variety of contexts in which tertiary dance teaching
students learn to develop their technique, artistry, communication skills,
performance ability and confidence. These skills are enhanced through
professionally guided rehearsals, classes, observation and reflective sessions,
performances and workshops. The suite of units aims to enable students to
utilise, adapt and transform their skills for artistic expression in various
performing domains, be they theatrical, educational, digital or site specific. This
aligns with the demands of 21st century dance teaching which requires teachers
to have skills that are both adaptable and transferable, supported by critical
analysis and reflective skills. Reflective practice is the foundation of the structure
of the learning experiences within an array of contexts (Kaufman 2013).
Skills relevant to each project are delivered through practical classes,
seminars, on-line engagement, rehearsals and performances, in line with current
practices in the Creative Industries. In all contexts, students are encouraged to
become reflective dance practitioners. These experiences are often collaborative,
under direction from guest and/or resident choreographers, teaching artists and
generalist teachers. These learning experiences offer students the opportunity to
make contact with professional artists and to experience their teaching
approaches and artistic concerns.

Performance in Context 1
As the first in the suite, Performance in Context 1 is designed to underpin and
contextualise dance studies at QUT. This unit is designed to situate tertiary
dance teaching students’ learning in close proximity to their chosen field,
identifying possible career trajectories and options. At the outset, these first year
dance students participate in a small number of school classroom observation
sessions (field work). They reflect on these observations, which form the basis of
group discussions and are augmented by theory in the development of age,
context and site specific choreography, through guided choreographic
workshops. The tertiary dance teaching students then return to the venues they
visited for their observation sessions to perform the choreography they

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developed as a result of their observations, in this specific context. For example,
the tertiary dance teaching students may visit a pre-school that is exploring a text
for International Book Day and they, as a result of their observations of the
children and classroom teachers reading this book, create chorography in
response to the narrative.
The design of the PCM in this unit allows time as a part of its structure, for
the tertiary dance teaching students’ post performance reflection to be with their
audience and later, with their peers. This multi-level reflective opportunity
enables the tertiary dance teaching students to consider their creative practice
from multiple perspectives. This process is pivotal for their ability to view
themselves as teachers and artists, and it underpins their role in the subsequent
units. In this foundational reflective unit students begin a self-actualization
process as they observe professional dance teachers teaching. They are
prompted to move beyond initial descriptive reflection, toward critical reflection,
through a process of journal writing, either privately or online for group
discussion, and through group discussions often led by a series of questions
arising from the events of the project. This includes, at times, lively debates
between participants around what has occurred “in action” and a process of
hypothesizing plans “for action” in future teaching projects (Schon 1983; Schon
1987; Thompson and Pascal 2011). Anxiety and uncertainty are common themes
in these reflective discussions and align the PCM and its teaching and learning
experiences with Schon’s view of uncertainty as a ‘….generator of new
knowledge’ (Schon 1994: 56).

Performance in Context 2
Performance in Context 2 is designed to immerse the tertiary dance teaching
students in the teaching and learning environment. Positioning them within a
specific teaching and learning site facilitates multiple opportunities for participant
and practitioner observations, and allows guided and collaborative dance
teaching experiences. These work integrated learning opportunities are designed
to form a nexus between theory and practice.
This unit uses Head, Heart and Hand (Bruhlmeier 2010) as a reflective
framework. It requires tertiary dance teaching students to work beyond a more
functional view of practice, experiencing empathy for both students and teachers.
The Head element involves students’ reflecting on cognitive understanding and
critical thinking in the classroom situation. The Hand element is about students’
reflecting through practice and learning by doing: getting a feel for how things
work. The Heart element is concerned with students’ reflecting on the affective
and emotive domains: caring and valuing the outcome, and experiencing a
personal connection. The Head, Heart and Hand (Bruhlmeier 2010) approach is
commonly used in a co-operative education context, but by using it as a reflective
tool it allows tertiary dance teaching students to align their teaching philosophies
with their personal values through practical application (Bruhlmeier 2010).
The teaching and learning in this unit occurs in school classrooms.
Tertiary dance teaching students are divided into small teaching teams in which
they will work in the school for the entire semester. They participate in teaching

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observation sessions of school students and classroom teachers, and
observations of a dance teaching artist with school students. In response to
these observations and reflections, using the Head, Heart, Hands (Bruhlmeier
2010) framework, each tertiary dance teaching student team develops and
implements short creative activities with strong links to the Queensland Primary
Education curriculum. Using these creative activities, they develop a shared
performance opportunity with the school students. This unit leads students on a
journey from observation, to workshop creation, workshop facilitation, and finally
performance. For example, the tertiary dance teaching students spend 6 weeks
working from within a Primary school where year 6 students are studying an
Australian History and Literacy unit on Ned Kelly. The tertiary dance teaching
students, using bush dance as the creative impetus, investigate with the year 6
students whether Ned Kelly was a victim, villain or a hero. These investigations
form the basis of the tertiary dance teaching students choreographic work.

Performance in Context 3
The final unit in this suite, Performance in Context 3, is a culmination of the skills
learned and developed across the previous two units and requires the tertiary
dance teaching students to create and perform a dance piece, and develop and
deliver age and context specific dance workshops based on this choreographic
work. In this unit, these graduating tertiary dance students are engaged in on-
going research activities that support their creative and reflective processes,
based on Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb 2005; Kolb 1984), and speak
to professional industry expectations.
Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb 2005; Kolb 1984) is a guiding
framework for this unit. This theory involves a four-stage cycle. The first cycle
involves reflection on a concrete experience. The second cycle engages
students’ in a process of review that leads to the third cycle of abstract
conceptualisation of the learning experience. The final, more complex cycle is
active experimentation (Kolb 2005). Reflection in this model turns experience into
learning, providing a base point for the tertiary dance teaching students to
engage in more specific and critical reflection. It firmly seeds the reflective
activities as tools for planned action. This is particularly pertinent in situations
where tertiary dance teaching students are reticent to identify with the artistic,
choreographic and performative elements of the creative teaching process. Many
easily identify as teachers, but need opportunities to articulate their fears of
viewing themselves as artists.
The choice of context for this unit is influenced by the particular needs of
the tertiary dance teaching student cohort and shaped by a necessity to develop
empathy, collaborative skills and an understanding of the multiplicity of practice
in diverse contexts. For example, over a 13-week period, the tertiary dance
teaching students, in collaboration with a community dance teaching artist,
created a 10-minute choreographic work for performance with a special needs
school group. Of significance, is the co-creative nature of this experience, which
involved not only these two student cohorts performing together, but creating
together. Additionally, although this experience happens primarily within a

7
school, the performance occurred in a theatre as a part of the University’s mid-
year dance season. The complexity of the unit lies in the diversity of
stakeholders. This may include teaching in communities with students with ASD,
intellectual or multiple impairments or alternatively community cultural groups.
Within this unit, the tertiary dance students often collaborate with more than one
age group or community, which promotes the development of flexible, and
responsive dance teaching pedagogies.

Performance in Context Model: Research Methodology

An emancipatory action research methodology was chosen primarily as it allows
the formation of a ‘self-critical’ and ‘self-reflective’ community (Carr and Kemmis
1986). This supports the development of practice in the context of the training of
tertiary dance teaching students. Through the self-reflective processes of the
research cycles, there is time for the researchers, to examine and challenge the
status quo and to question their tacit knowledge relied upon when structuring this
series of units (Sandretto 2004). The curriculum structure of the units could be
examined as well as the teaching and learning approaches being enacted. The
planning, implementation and evaluation cycles of the action research
methodology supports researchers’ critical enquiry leading to better decision
making and more importantly allowing for changes to be made to pedagogical
practices (Tripp 2005).
This action research methodology mirrored the creative processes being
explored by the tertiary dance teaching students throughout the three units.
Cyclic in nature, these processes include enacting practice, reflecting and
implementing change. Action research allows the researchers to practice the
reflective processes they encourage their students to participate in. This
privileges the processes of reflection by both the tertiary dance teaching students
and the researchers leading to habitual engagement with reflection as key part of
practice.
Data has been collected during each cycle of this research in the form of
tertiary dance students’ reflective writing, tertiary dance teachers’ reflective
writing, student focus groups, questionnaires and observations and field notes.
These are also supported by community participant responses. Additionally,
participants responses were collected through included questionnaires, focus
groups, discussions and a review of existing literature. Data continues to be
collected in order to evaluate the success and adaptability of the Model.
Instruments used to gather data during this first cycle
Over the past four years, through four cycles of action research, the PCM
pedagogy, context and engagement with community has grown and developed
into a successful model that integrates practical dance teaching skills, artistry
and community engagement. The current iteration of activities across all of the
units has involved the implementation of the PCM. This fourth cycle draws
together the findings and actions from the previous three cycles of action
research.

8
 In line with action-research methodology (Koshy 2010), the first action
research cycle of the PCM occurred in 2011 with a view to explore some of the
problems identified during the Q150 project. It highlighted the need for tertiary
dance teaching students to become epistemologically agile within a framework of
authentic learning experiences. Following an examination of the data, a needs
analysis was carried out to develop changes for implementation in the second
cycle. These data gathering instruments were also used in the second cycle of
action research, in 2012. This cycle was concerned with adapting context and the
further development of teaching and learning activities that provided a continuity
of delivery across the suite of units. After a validation meeting, a report was
compiled outlining suggested changes for implementation in the third and final
cycle.
The third action research cycle in 2013, involved further refining of
activities across all three units, reflecting on and evaluating the teaching and
learning approaches employed across the three units and discerning the findings.
This cyclical action research project has resulted in the development of the PCM
as an unfolding reflective pedagogy, which is currently being implemented and
further evaluated.

PCM: the development of Reflective Pedagogy in Performance in Context 1

Positioned within the first semester of the first year of the tertiary dance teaching
course, this unit provides many of the tertiary dance teaching students their first
engagement with children in a formal school setting. Although self-selecting this
course, many of these students have difficulty identifying with the role of the
dance teacher, and in many cases, the role of performer or artist.

Explore, experiment and adapt

Data collected from the first PCM cycle found that the development of reflective
skills often started with a ‘what went well and what didn’t?” line of inquiry. First
year tertiary dance teaching students often experienced difficulty in self-
assessing growth, and reflection resulted in an opportunity to complain and
blame others for difficulties rather than engaging in any kind of critical reflection
(Knapp, 2013). In part, this came from their perception that feedback from
teachers is criticism (Knapp, 2013). This resulted in students feeling defensive
about feedback reflection rather than using it as a vehicle for personal growth
and development as a teacher. In the second PCM iteration, the observations of
generalist classroom teachers were implemented as a starting point for the
tertiary dance teaching students’ reflective processes. By using observations of
generalist classroom teachers in action, rather than being immersed in the
teaching themselves, the tertiary dance teaching students had opportunities to
expand their existing points of view. Being distanced from the teaching, allowed
the tertiary dance teaching students to be less defensive about acknowledging
areas of their teaching that needed more development.

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Develop and refine
There was a hope that the tertiary dance students would engage in the
conversation around teaching practice with more enthusiasm after observing the
generalist classroom teacher in practice. In the case of the first year tertiary
dance teaching students, the conversations were often quite lively, but largely
consisted of describing the behaviour of the children rather than any in-depth
analysis of the behaviours of the classroom teachers. To avoid this descriptive
and naive reflection being duplicated in the online written component, several
reflective prompts were put forward (Leijen et al. 2009). For example, please
consider how the themes are progressing through the project and how they may
connect to the age group we are working with? What elements have been
included in the process to make the work accessible to this audience? These
questions provided the scaffolding necessary for the tertiary dance teaching
students to move beyond description and resulted in responses that were more
considered and linked to the context.
The tertiary dance teaching students began to layer reflections, seeing
themselves as researchers and teachers simultaneously. This is in line with the
developmentalist approach to reflection that sees the development of the teacher
and the students as naturalists, researchers and artists (Jay 2003). It encourages
students to think for themselves and to develop a curiosity that promotes ‘what if ‘
questioning, rather than purely reflecting on their own actions. For example,

‘...teachers commonly used body movement and voice in an over exaggerated

manner. This variation in pace and tone, as well as the use of facial expression
and gesture, was used to ensure maximum participation and increase the
concentration span of the children. The effective way to gain their attention, in
both the classroom and performance context, would be to both rhythm and
sounds together.’ Tertiary dance teaching student L

‘....At their age, attention spans are very short; so by using sound, movement,
and changing the tone in her voice the kids enjoyed learning as it was a very
positive environment. This observation really opened my eyes to the detailed
methods of teaching young kids and what strategies are the most effective
towards these kids. It seems that sound, continuous movement and interaction
are absolutely vital when teaching in a learning environment and would also
apply when performing for them.” Tertiary dance teaching student C

By using observation as a starting point, even though it was not

observation of dance teaching practice, tertiary dance teaching students had
opportunities to develop skills associated with research, as well as artistry.
These skills include an entrepreneurial approach that requires them to identify
and create solutions to a range of problems within teaching, creating and
performing contexts. Ultimately, this initiates a reflective conversation that
continues throughout the three years of the undergraduate degree and into
postgraduate studies, encouraging a more thoughtful, considered approach to
dance practice within the profession. It lays the foundations for making decisions
in the future about what, when and why.

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The implementation of the PCM
This first year unit reveals the tertiary dance teaching students’ knowledge base
and provides situations in which students can reflect upon their experience to
identify and articulate new knowledge. Reflective tasks need to fulfill a range of
criteria to illicit deep responses in reflective online writing and focus groups. If the
reflective activities are concise they allow the tertiary students to engage with
integrity, avoiding verbose, meandering description. These activities should be
clear, using language that is relevant to the age and stage of the tertiary dance
students who are transitioning between secondary school and tertiary education.
Additionally, the reflective activities must uncover relevant truths for the tertiary
dance students. These light-bulb moments, that may not be earth shattering for
an experienced teacher, often lead to personal growth for the tertiary dance
teaching students through a process of weighing up view-points about unique
classroom situations.
These learning moments provide the fuel to ignite students’ passion and
engagement with creative practice and the teaching profession. They are the
catalyst to begin the journey of education within a tertiary setting, seeding a self-
identification process with the profession. These experiences provide the
foundations for a more inspired learning within the university setting and
encourage debate, discussion, and the development of big ideas. This energy is
translatable to multiple contexts, applications and life stages, both professionally
and personally.
Tertiary dance teaching students use this momentum to progress from
focusing on teacher action within the classroom to a more student-centred
approach. This includes observations not only of classroom student behaviour
but classroom teachers’ use of language and imagery. The observation process
supports the tertiary dance teaching students’ self-reflections on their
engagement with classroom student cohorts, as performer, teacher and artist.
Although, this progression is quite general in nature it highlights to the students
the multiplicity of the profession and the role of a teacher in the arts.
As a first year unit, this enables students to situate themselves within the
learning context and understand multiple entry points for personal growth and
development of practice within the profession. Early identification with the
broader learning community can help the tertiary dance teaching students to
successfully navigate their transition from university to industry. Although many
first year tertiary dance teaching students have observed dance teaching in a
school, studio or community context in the past, they may not have looked at
teaching dance from this alternative perspective. These reflective activities
provide the means from which they could ‘walk a mile’ within a generalist
classroom teacher’s shoes.

PCM: the development of Reflective Pedagogy in Performance in Context 2

Positioned within the second semester of the second year of the tertiary dance
teaching course, this unit provides many of the tertiary dance teaching students
their first opportunity to create and deliver teaching and learning activities for

11
school aged students. After a year of university study, these second year tertiary
dance teaching students are beginning to observe and reflect spontaneously
within their own learning environment.

Explore, experiment and adapt

In the first two cycles of this second year unit, students had limited face-to-face
in-context engagement. Both tertiary dance teaching students’ and researchers’
reflections, gathered through these cycles, indicated that increased access to the
school community on site, underpinned by frequent reflective activities, would
further support learning. All participants in this unit, tertiary dance lecturers,
tertiary dance teaching students, school students and generalist classroom
teachers, expressed a desire for a more creative collaboration.
In response to these findings, the researchers instigated new
collaborations with industry partners that resulted in both the tertiary dance
lecturers and tertiary dance teaching students being situated in the school for the
entire semester. This provided multiple points of intersection and communication
between generalist classroom teachers and tertiary dance teaching students, and
between school students and tertiary dance teaching students. It provided many
‘teachable moments’ for the tertiary dance lecturers to link theory and practice.
Additionally, this allowed the tertiary dance lecturers to model reflection in- and
on-action, (Schon 1983; Schon 1987) highlighting strengths and weaknesses in
their own teaching and the implications for further pedagogical development,
reflecting for-action (Thompson and Pascal 2011).
Tertiary dance teaching students in this second year of study, often have
difficulty engaging critically and constructively in reflection, and drawing from
their own experiences (Huddy and Stevens 2011). In the initial Q150 findings, it
was observed that spontaneous reflective conversations between peers needed
to be promoted as second nature and as a means of developing professional
reflective judgments (Burnard 2006; Huddy and Stevens 2011). Embedding
multiple opportunities to synthesise first-year learning, results in changes to the
second year tertiary dance teaching students’ beliefs and assumptions. Without
foundational knowledge, as opposed to tacit knowledge, students struggle to find
alternatives and a broader perspective when reflecting on action. Opportunities
must encourage hypothesising and synthesising in order for the tertiary dance
teaching students to test their reflections in action. More importantly, they need to
develop their ability to question, in this case, the ‘what if’ reflections that occur for
action (Schon 1983; Schon 1987; Roth1989).
This phase of learning, through authentic connections, helps the tertiary
dance teaching students to envisage their possible ‘teaching selves’. It places
them within a teaching experience that is not just imagined, but lived. This
reflective learning experience enables them to explore and inform their tacit
knowledge, so that they can trust their intuitive self. Intuitive knowledge needs
strong support from both theoretical and experiential driven knowledge, as
witnessed in the school classroom. These reflective experiences allow tertiary
dance teaching students to create the connecting threads between theory and
praxis.

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 The research findings from this second year unit emphasised the need for
the provision of tertiary dance teaching student learning opportunities that move
beyond teaching tips, to experiences that enable them to question teaching
patterns and to select or reject learning experiences they may have had in the
past. It was identified through the first two cycles of research that tertiary dance
teaching students needed time to interrogate and modify patterned behaviour in
thinking and practice.

“A lesson plan is essential but adaption on the spot in terms of time management
are essential to managing the class well.” Tertiary dance teaching student M

“It’s a combination of strong planning and clear understanding of the students

that creates an effective learning atmosphere. As when teaching, you constantly
need to be prepared for changes and distractions and sometimes lessons don’t
go perfectly to plan.” Tertiary dance teaching student T

These kinds of learning experiences are not just important from a teaching
and learning perspective. They also provide a basis for a more holistic view of
the community in which teachers interact. The Head, Heart and Hand
(Bruhlmeier 2010) approach to reflection is used within this unit as it develops
both inward and outward reflection which aligns social re-constructivist (social
justice and equity) reflection with social efficiency (generic knowledge) reflection
(Jay 2003). However, this happens in tandem with disciplinary knowledge and is
based on the Developmentalist reflection that took place in first year unit,
Performance in Context 1.

“I began to understand that a dance teacher doesn’t just teach moves but it is the
teachers’ job to help the students grow as artists and people. ...I needed to
research and discuss with the students so I could grow an understanding of how
they think and create so as to use teaching strategies that best develop the
students learning.” Tertiary dance teaching student T

Develop and refine

The reflective activities used in the first cycle of this second year unit revealed a
limited worldview that trivialised the tertiary dance teaching students’ lived
experience. Although growing in teaching confidence, their reflective abilities
often failed to recognise the layers and qualities and value of reflective practice.
Therefore, in the last two cycles of the unit, the tertiary dance teaching students
were required to move from descriptive, to comparative and towards critical
reflection (Jay and Johnson quoted in Jay 2003). Further scaffolding of reflective
activities supported the tertiary dance teaching students on this journey.
The observation reflections of classroom teachers’ practice in the early
stages of the unit described through the lens of Head, Heart and Hands
(Bruhlmeier 2010) provided the foundational information necessary to use
comparative reflection, while observing the dance teaching artist modelling dance
activities within the classroom.

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 “The boys followed Mr Huntress’ example and took part in the activities without
complaint. This student teacher relationship needs to be developed over time.
However, it is through a mutual respect and understanding between the student
and the teacher that forms this relationship. This is really important.” Tertiary
dance teaching student T

These reflective activities provided a translation of classroom practice into

arts classroom practice and, whilst the tertiary dance teaching students’
observations were far from profound, they were more developed then normative
reflections gathered in the first cycle of this unit. The reflective components of
this unit were expanded across each of its four cycles, to include observations of
their peers, classroom teachers, student participants, and tertiary dance
lecturers. They were actioned through in-class verbal discussions with a specific
focus on lesson design and development, peer reflection of teaching materials
and episodes, self-reflection of teaching performance, and a group seminar
reflection on the whole-of-unit learning experience. The reflective experiences
kept the tertiary dance teaching students asking ‘why’. This was promoted and
supported through the on-line journaling activities, discussions in the classroom,
and peer group discussions.

“It was interesting how different the experience is from watching to teaching. As
when you are watching you are able to pick up potential improvements or
moments when focus needs to be maintained which you may not be aware of
when teaching the class yourself.... It was a great learning experience as a
teacher as well as a student.” Tertiary dance teaching student L

“The difficulty of the task instigated an intrinsic motivation within the students to
solve the movement problem and the students worked hard to create interesting
movements…. the end product and showing was very successful.. the students
were clearly happy with their work. “Tertiary dance teaching student B

The implementation of the PCM

The Head, Heart and Hand (Bruhlmeier 2010) activities facilitated the transition
from reflecting in and on, to reflecting for action (Schon 1987; Thompson and
Pascal 2011). These reflections supported the tertiary dance teaching students
when devising activities in much the same way as a choreographer uses
reflection as an essential tool within creative practice. The tertiary dance teaching
students devised lessons that engaged multiple perspectives. These
perspectives were informed by the individual tertiary dance teaching students’
points of view, the tertiary dance lecturers’ points of view and their peers’ points
of view. This created fluidity and flexibility within the teaching environment and
mirrored the collaborative nature of working in the arts, modeling the co-creative
dance making environment.
The Head, Heart and Hand (Bruhlmeier 2010) approach to reflection
allowed the tertiary dance teaching students to value their decisions and actions
through an understanding of the impact on all stakeholders: school students,
classroom teachers and broader school community. The modelling of best dance

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classroom practice by the tertiary dance lecturer, emphasising and articulating
reflective practice, further supported these decisions and actions. The tertiary
dance teaching students felt confident to make mistakes as the tertiary dance
lecturer generously and honestly dissected her teaching practice, drawing
attention to both unsuccessful and successful elements. The in-class verbal
discussions articulated the reflection in-action that the tertiary dance lecturer was
engaging in within every teaching episode.

“I found performing the activities from the view of the student rather than the
teacher allowed me to further my understanding of the students learning and how
I may be able to teach my students in the following weeks through verbal cues
and certain language.” Tertiary dance teaching student L

The cyclical nature of unit delivery, where demonstrations were followed

by in-depth feedback, meant that topics were viewed from multiple perspectives
in a non-linear format and arose spontaneously in response to classroom action.
This delivery format provided an example of ‘teachable moments’, demonstrating
to students the need to respond beyond what is planned. The complexity of the
information was shared and debated within the tertiary dance teaching students’
written online reflections. These reflections included in-depth discussions about
teacher vulnerability, improvised responses to unanticipated situations, and
attitudinal responses to frustrating incidents.

“The exploration between one concept, in two different forms, may enable
students to enhance their understanding of the concept “form”, looking at it from
a different angle. I think this is a beneficial exercise, as a teacher, because each
student learns and processes information in their own way, making it important
as a teacher to employ multiple teaching methods for the one class.” Tertiary
dance teaching student R

PCM: the development of Reflective Pedagogy in Performance in Context 3

Positioned within the first semester of the third year of the tertiary dance teaching
course, this unit pulls together the learning from the previous two years of study
illuminating the links between teaching and learning in a range of contexts. Here,
the tertiary dance teaching students reflect intentionally, making their teaching
processes transparent. This evolution is evident in their critical conversations
about practice with peers.

Explore, experiment and adapt

The Performance in Context 3 experiences emphasise the quality of the
performance product as well as the workshop outcome. This final year unit
supports the graduating tertiary dance teaching students as they transition into
the professional environment, where their value is measured by their ability to
produce high-level dance work. It requires the tertiary dance teaching students
be able to work autonomously, backed by solid research in and around the

15
thematic approaches to the choreographic product and teaching and learning
theoretical concepts. The current cycle of the unit has developed in response to a
need to support this practical application with structured, reflective phases:
research, choreography, workshop development, workshop implementation, and
performance. It further develops those skills that have been the focus of the
previous two units in the PCM: Performance in Context 1 and 2.
The implementation of Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb 2005;
Kolb 1984), particular during the workshop development and implementation
phase allows the students to articulate and overcome some of the preconceived
ideas and anxieties around working in changing contextual settings.

“I think I need to improve on my own technique, so will take up regular dance

classes from other industry professionals in order to gain diversity in my
repertoire. In achieving this, I would then love to come involved in community
engagement or the production side of things.” Tertiary dance teaching student A

“....as a performer you need to be adaptable and need to find a way to engage in
the performance no matter what the context. I believe this is also the case as a
teacher, being able to adapt the lesson plan is so important because things don’t
always go to plan.” Tertiary dance teaching student B

“In dance at school my teacher wasn’t very experienced as a dancer herself and
this was reflected in her teaching; so having dance experience and showing this
to your students is an important factor in engaging students, particular senior
dance students.” Tertiary dance teaching student C

Develop and refine

The 5E Model (Bybee et al. 2006) was implemented in this unit as a vehicle for
making the organisational framework of the unit transparent to the tertiary dance
teaching students. It exemplified the construction of a creative project in a range
of contexts. In addition to using the Kolb’s Experiential Learning Theory (Kolb
2005; Kolb 1984), the 5E Model (Bybee et al. 2006) served as a stimulus for the
tertiary dance teaching students reflective activities. The 5E Model engaged
students in the process of practicing and planning for experiences using
knowledge gathered from previous reflections to critically analyse their actions
(Bybee et al. 2006). The use of this model allows students to make connections
between the past and the present and to construct meaning for both themselves
and their students (Bybee et al. 2006).
There is a synergy between the 5 words used in the Model, Engage,
Explore, Explain, Extend and Evaluate, and what takes place within the unit. In
the reflective context Engage involves reflecting on the breadth of the project and
its ability to respond to the specific needs of the learning context. Research is
pertinent to engaging students in this planning phase and sustaining their interest
throughout the project. Research in this context is not just a planning tool, but an
opportunity for the tertiary dance teaching students to reflect on their personal
connections with the context in which they are working.

16
 This connection is emphasised through Explore. In Explore, the tertiary
dance teaching students actively engage in the creative process, responding to
artistic decisions and improvising and experimenting within an environment of
spontaneity. They reflect within this creative environment, not only on their own
artistic outputs but also on the appropriateness of these creative works to the
context. The tertiary dance teaching students are encouraged to constantly
return to the findings of their research to guide their explorations.
This deep mining of their artistic process, and its relevant context,
strengthens the tertiary dance teaching students’ confidence in communicating
their artistic decisions. Explain then provides students opportunities to verbally
articulate and demonstrate these new skills developed through this artistic
process. The tertiary dance teaching students’ are given a variety of
opportunities and vehicles to communicate both their artistic decisions as well as
their teaching and learning imperatives. This includes the justification of planning
decisions made in collaboration with peers, communicating with students in the
classroom about meaning making through the creative process, and also, written
online discussions concerning interactions in the classroom. This voicing of their
‘artist’ and ‘teacher’ selves allows them reflective time to converge both skill sets
and identities. Throughout this process neither identity is given greater strength
or importance.
The development of this dual identity becomes essential in the Elaborate
as it requires deeper reflection on the learning opportunities and teaching
philosophies developed through the process of the unit. The reflection here
provides the tertiary dance teaching students with the space to investigate a
broader view of their context as they practice and develop teaching skills in-situ.
This linking of theory and practice, demonstrates the power of the arts, allowing
the tertiary dance teaching students to value and enact their place within the
community from a social justice perspective.
Evaluate requires reflecting on understandings, abilities and key concepts
and how these may inform the construction of the tertiary dance teaching
students’ future practice. This component of the reflective cycle is about
confirming their identity as teaching artists within a range of teaching contexts.
Because reflection is essential to each of the units within the PCM, the tertiary
dance teaching students’ approaches and responses to reflection within Evaluate
are often highly developed. The tertiary dance teaching students’ reflections
highlight their individual strengths and weaknesses and acknowledge the need
for future professional development and growth.

The implementation of the PCM

Reflection in this final unit within the Performance in Context suite, encourages
the student teachers to recognise the synergy between themselves as artists and
performers and who they are as teachers. Highlighting the development of the
whole person encourages a richer discourse and sense of empathy within the
learning community that is established through their online reflections. Because
this unit asks the tertiary dance teaching students to choreograph, plan, perform
and implement workshops as teachers, the collaborative creative environment is

17
complex and demands a supportive group ethos. The reflections serve to create
this environment where the students’ opinions, beliefs and values are shared,
and in many cases transformed through self, peer and teacher dialogue.
For many tertiary dance teaching students, questioning of practice is seen
as a challenge to their professional abilities. This makes the modelling of the
teacher as artist, important, as the tertiary dance teaching students use this
example to dissect their own practice and instigate changes in the conversations
they have with their own students. This risk taking in practice is often why
reflective practice diminishes amongst practicing teachers throughout their career
(Raiber 2001). In order to counteract this, risk taking was placed at the heart of
the design and delivery of this unit. The reflections are open for all students to
see, and feedback on, in an attempt to create a sharing and supportive
community of practice. Learning through dialogue, in small groups and in online
forums, allows space for individual reflection and input of multiple perspectives,
developing both collective and social thinking. The tertiary dance teaching
students need to reflect on their own and others experiences, and it is essential
that everyone has a turn at being vulnerable to the group.
Over time, within this unit, there developed a participatory climate that was
most noticeable through the tertiary dance teaching students’ online reflections
that became increasingly sensitive in their perspectives of others. They were
keen to capitalise on their opportunities for feedback but not at the expense of
their peers. This ontological security ’…in a context of constant change and
potential threat’ (Thompson and Pascal 2011: 16), needs to be maintained in
order for risk taking to result in a transformative learning experience.

“I really felt through this entire production that I was carried very safely and
nurtured to get to the point of performance. I knew all along that the piece would
come together. When I was having a bad day, tired and wanting to back to bed
she (teacher) was there pumping me up, providing descriptive praise and
encouraging me to do my best.” Tertiary dance teaching student D

“There were times during feedback sessions where we successfully and easily
problem solved trouble areas that had arisen. There was a great sense of
unity….. As artist-teachers we will need to be aware that our groups, classes and
ensembles will all need to go through these different stages. It is our
responsibility to be aware of where the group is at and lead them through that
stage. Reflective practice will be necessary in order to identify these things and
decide on the best way to move forward.” Tertiary dance teaching student F

“Everyone is learning and creating together. Everyone is helping to source

things, costumes, music and props. And also, creating and teaching each other
content. I believe that the more we communicate and help each other as a
collaborative group, the more solid, enjoyable and believable our performance
will be.” Tertiary dance teaching student L

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Reflective practice as research: the Performance in Context Model
In the PCM, research is inclusive; it is used for the development of the unit
curriculum and pedagogy, determining dance teaching course directions and the
development of tertiary dance teachers’ individual dance teaching philosophies. It
also forms the basis for ongoing professional development for the tertiary dance
lecturers. The overarching focus for the researcher, the tertiary dance lecturers,
of the PCM is the modelling of research and reflection as teaching practice. The
PCM places research and reflection as essential components in dance training,
teaching and learning, and assessment. This mirrors artistic dance practice:
creative, dynamic, adaptable and relevant.
Reflective practice has long been a skill of the practicing dance artist, an
innate ability to look within, problem-find and problem-solve and respond by
means of artistic decisions. These basic tools of the practice-led dance
researcher are identified and developed through the PCM pedagogy. Running
concurrently with this theme, is the place of reflective practice as a teaching
approach, enacting teachers as life-long learners. This combination of artist and
teacher within a reflective practice research model situates tertiary dance
teaching students within an authentic practice environment that supports
reflective practice for career longevity.
Reflection is not merely a way of researching but a necessary skill for
artistic teaching practice. The combination of research and reflective practice
allows students to open their minds to new avenues of learning and to access the
necessary skill set of the teaching artist: researcher, choreographer, collaborator,
performer, writer and teacher. It allows them the reflexivity to be able to adapt to
a range of teaching contexts and to maintain the connection between their
aesthetic arts practice and meaning making, and the more rigid confines of
curriculum implementation. It allows students to form the connections between
their identities as teacher and artist through performance, creativity and empathy,
built through reflection.
This reflective research pedagogical-based approach to tertiary dance
teacher training encourages educative philosophies that are expansive and
involve the sharing of ideas across sectors. This philosophy may lay the
foundations for the development of a community of practice in an industry based
situation. At a grass roots level, this gives tertiary dance teaching students, the
opportunity to not only envisage themselves in the role of teaching artist, but also
develop mentoring relationships and networks that will support their development
and transition into the industry. These relationships within this community of
practice, call on experienced practitioners to participate in the development of the
next generation of teaching artists, through a range of informed and relevant
teaching experiences. This once again mirrors the collaborative relationships
established within arts practice.
The partnerships and collaborations formed through the implementation of
the PCM will further strengthen the links between the tertiary sector and industry.
This in-turn continues to support the dissemination of current research to relevant
stakeholders within these communities of practice; sharing, growing and
supporting dance in the broader context. Additionally, these networks provide

19
essential professional development opportunities for those practitioners involved.
This professional development extends to the tertiary dance lecturer as they
engage in sophisticated reflective practice as a vehicle for research, growth and
development. It supports the collegial relationships between lecturers and tutors,
teachers and artists, choreographers and performers: modeling best practice.
For these tertiary dance lecturers, this practice-led methodology enables
them to make the most efficient use of time and resources, in order to develop
their own personal approaches to teaching and learning. Through the process of
reflection and action, the tertiary dance teaching students and lecturers embody
the ideals of Action Research. These cycles of reflective research provide the
tertiary dance lecturers with deep insights into the needs of their students, while
refreshing practice. This depth of connection is pertinent to the tertiary dance
lecturers’ ability to design relevant learning experiences in action, in response to
their students’ needs.
Throughout the PCM, the focus is on collaboration, arts practice and
teaching excellence. It supports the development of stakeholders at multiple
levels through an empathetic approach to the tertiary dance teaching students’
learning journeys. The future success of the PCM will depend, in part, on its
adaptability in a wide range of contexts and student groups, ensuring its
relevance to all stakeholders. The reflective nature of the PCM will mean that it
can continue its evolution, developing changes in response to the needs of the
students and communities in which they work and learn, and developments
around technology and communication.
Further quantitative and qualitative research into the identification of the
characteristics and the degree of skills acquired throughout the PCM is needed
to confirm the strength of this pedagogical approach. Additionally, further
investigation is needed into the professional development requirements of the
practicing teaching artist, who often works in isolation. This research could inform
the development of a specific version of the PCM for this community of practice.
In a world of change, particularly in the field of education, the PCM’s
malleability ensures its continuing relevance, moving away from a purely
knowledge based and skills orientated view of education to embrace creativity,
aesthetics and knowledge. The PCM as a 21st century dance teaching pedagogy
embeds reflection as a life-long pattern of practice that works in tandem with
scaffolded, empathetic, approaches to dance.

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