ABSTRACT
Today, in the twenty-first century, there is a great sense of interdisciplinarity and hybridity about the ways in which young people begin the process of preparation for studying Dance at university or college or commencing professional dance training. Through extensive travel and the internet, so much is being shared globally. Of course, in almost every country of the world, schools and academies offer professional training in chosen genres and styles, for those who have the talent, the physical acumen and the mental and creative capacity to join a company and dance professionally. Ballet and jazz dance are taught in almost every country of the world; one can learn modern dance Graham technique in Java, Chinese and South Asian dance in the UK or Singapore, Egyptian belly dancing in the USA or Australia, tango and flamenco in Israel and indeed in most countries of the world. For those who choose to enter the dance profession as intending professional performers, either in the East or the West, the normal training period is generally understood to be at least 10 years. Young people might start with one class a week, but serious training means all day everyday classes and rehearsals in a variety of styles; in order to prepare the body for daily rehearsal or performance, in whatever genre, exercises progress from the simple to the complex, in terms of coordination, length and difficulty. Most professional students attend specialist ballet school for more than five years and/or follow an intensive three-or four-year programme at 16+. For amateur groups learning traditional and country dance forms, like Irish clogging or Appalachian step dancing, groups might meet once or twice a week, but for those involved with
competitions and regular performances, such as ballroom and Latin American dance, much more regular practice is the norm. Some forms are learned in the social or cultural context of the family or community, such as many traditional African, Aboriginal or Native American dances, while others need specialist teachers or gurus as in the South Asian styles of Bharata Natyam or Kathak. In the higher education sector (18+), which is the specific focus of this book, students may not become professional dancers, but they may wish to make a career in dance through teaching, performing, choreographing, running creative workshops or open classes or managing dance events. Therefore, they need to be able to dance, to the best of their ability; during the three or four years of study, they will probably be introduced to several different forms of technique. The majority of dance students who enter college or university to study dance have been introduced to dancing by attending private ballet or dance schools. All over the world these schools offer classes based on syllabus work and examinations in classical ballet and other forms. Dance teaching societies which offer training for teachers and examination syllabi for their students include: the British Ballet Organization (BBO), the American Association of Ballet (AAB), the Royal Academy of Dance (RAD) and the Cecchetti Society – the Cecchetti method of ballet is a style of classical, theatrical dance based on the teachings of the Italian ballet master Enrico Cecchetti (1850-1928).
