When I noticed that a dance workshop would take place in the second week of the semester I instantly looked forward to participating. I have danced for around 13 years now and it has always been something that I see as not only a hobby but also as one of my main strengths. I taught a dance class for younger children during my final year at primary school and have been part of a dance group for as long as I can remember, now at which I assist in taking classes for younger dancers and have done for the past 3 years.

After reading parts of “Get Scotland Dancing: A Literature Review (2014)” I now have a clearer understanding of the various purposes dance can have- whether it be to improve physical health, to portray emotion or to reflect on human behaviour in society- dance is something that has an involvement in our lives at some point or another. Also by reading the article I have become more aware in the part dance plays in our culture here in Scotland which roots from our folk history. However, research has shown that at present, a low percentage of Scottish people participate in dance regularly. Dance can be a great form of improving physical wellbeing therefore if we teach dance to our pupils with enthusiasm and passion it will then allow them to enjoy what they are participating in whilst forming a healthy lifestyle and learning new skills all at the same time.

There are many individual factors which suggest that dance may only be aimed at a certain group of people, these factors include age, gender and motivations. It is part of our job, as teachers, to ensure that every child in our class feels as though they can fully participate and express themselves with confidence in the things they do, therefore by teaching dance from a young age, this will allow the children to both grow in confidence and develop their skills.

I feel as though my own experiences and my dance background will help me in terms of teaching the dance curriculum. I still feel as though I will face some challenges that will perhaps include getting the children to have the confidence to participate or finding the enthusiasm to fully enjoy what they are being taught. My goal, as a teacher is to ensure that all of my pupils feel confident and comfortable enough to participate and enjoy the dance curriculum, I aim for a relaxed environment in which the children can enjoy their learning and gain new skills.

Although I feel as though dance will be one of the areas I am most confident in to teach, I have still set myself a goal which is to familiarise myself with the curriculum around dance and to broaden my own creativity to come up with various different ideas to use whilst teaching dance to a class.

I feel as though teaching the dance curriculum will come with both ups and downs but it is something that I am greatly looking forward to doing in the future.