Movement classes give chance for creativity

Friday, May. 27, 2016

SALT LAKE CITY — Students at Saint Vincent de Paul School enjoyed movement exploration with Lynne Larson of Repertory Dance Theatre. The movement classes help students discover that the body can be used as an instrument of self-expression. 

Larson brought the program she leads for the Utah public schools to Saint Vincent School.

“Many people don’t think dance is P.E.,” she said, but her dancing techniques proved otherwise. The movement classes offered information to help the students build strength, flexibility, endurance, coordination and awareness while developing an understanding of the elements of dance: time, space, shape and energy.

Larson also incorporated language arts curriculum into the movement class. Students were given verbs and adverbs, and had to creatively show elements of movement for the words. They worked in teams for some of the exercises, allowing them to solve problems through cooperation and collaboration. One class had to use the different elements of dance for the syllables in their names. 

“Students are natural movers and cannot sit in seats all day, for it is inherent learning behavior,” Larson said. 

Fourth-grader Emma Mitchell had fun in the class. “I really liked the movement and balance and it was fun to act out words like adventurous,” she said.