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VIDBE - Q Volume 6 4 Issue 1
Impairments and Deafblindness (DVIDB) Preconvention workshop, in
which participants will learn to use creative dance including the BEST
elements of dance as a framewo rk to teach concepts to students with
vision impairments and deafblindness.
To begin, what is creative dance? Whereas professional dancers
perform choreographed steps to entertain audiences; creative dancers use
movement as a means to communicate their i ndividual experience of the
world (Nelson et al., 2017). Further, creative dance is movement
exploration in which the dancer interacts and learns about the environment
in a tactile and kinesthetic manner (Nelson et al., 2017). Across art forms,
artists lea rn techniques to enhance their performance. Teachers and
students of creative dance use the elements of dance known as Body,
Energy, Space, and Time (BEST) as a guide to creating authentic
movements for the means of self - expression and communication (Nelso n
et al., 2017). These elements can also be used to enhance lessons,
increase participation and teach concepts to children who are visually
impaired or deafblind. For example, to learn about different energy
qualities, a dance teacher models movements asso ciated with sneaky cats
and playful puppies, and then prompts the students to explore new ways to
move like the animals. Creative dance is an alternative hands - on approach
