My writings involve movement descriptions taken from my classroom.  I am trying to bring the reader into a dance classroom to catch a glimpse of movement education.  (Please note:  I will be sharing this information at the Wellness Expo, hosted by NMC’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society, on November 22, 2013.)

“Today we are going to work on an improvisation entitled Accent on the Exhale.  This improvisation will center around the concept of staccato movement and how it relates to breathing.  We will remember that staccato is a musical term meaning detached.  This idea can be translated into dance with separate percussive actions.  We will begin by making our breathing audible.  On every exhale, we will do a percussive action such as a jab, poke, punch, or kick.  Try to stay with your breath as you perform your staccato actions.  After a few minutes of this intense action, we will rest.  Remember that movement exploration stimulates thinking.  What did it feel like to release that type of energy on the exhale?  Did your movement have emotional overtones?  How could you use these actions to express a choreographic theme?  Let’s repeat the improvisation with music.  Be aware of the kinesthetic changes that you experience as you move spontaneously.  What did you discover?”