1. Field of Mediation: Dance & School

This field includes dance projects in schools as well as regular dance classes as part of mandatory lessons or full day care. The relevant agencies are educational institutions ranging from daycares and kindergartens to vocational schools and universities. (You can find more information on the field of dance & school → here)

Choreography for World Dance Day

A current project in the field of Dance & School was the choreography carried out for World Dance Day. Hundreds of school classes in the canton of Bern have benefited from dance workshops since 2017 under the direction of Lucía Baumgartner, Maja Brönnimann and Regula Mahler, as well as a team of other dedicated dance teachers. This year, 111 school classes booked a 90-minute dance workshop in March and April to learn the special choreography. The music titled “Jelly Swing” was specially composed by Bernese musician Theo Känzig. 1,212 students then performed what they had learned together at the dance festival in Bern, Biel and Thun on May 3rd.

Dance as an Artistic Experience

Part of mediation work requires that dance mediators introduce various dance styles to students. Participation in the choreography for World Dance Day was mandatory for the registered classes, regardless of dance experience. The ai1.m was to convey dance as an experience and to introduce the students to various dance elements. In the World Dance Day choreography, elements from different styles such as Cha Cha Cha, breaking, contemporary, improvisation and swing were brought together to create a simply constructed artistic dance.

Broadening Accessibility to Dance

Particular attention was paid to reaching students who would not normally have direct access to dance; students coming from isolated villages or in classes where dance was not regularly taught. The facilitators actively reached out to these classes to give all students the opportunity to participate in the dance festival and experience the joy of dance.

Promoting diversity and creativity

Two different methods were used to introduce dance techniques to the students: traditional demonstration and imitation of movement sequences, and the promotion of improvisation. These two approaches were deliberately chosen to appeal to both students who feel more confident through structured instructions and those who develop through creative freedom. Through direct demonstration and imitation, the students were able to learn the basic movements and visibly improve their skills. At the same time, however, improvisation was also encouraged to give the students space to bring in their own artistic expression and break down any inhibitions.

This holistic approach enabled all students, regardless of their individual learning style or previous dance experience, to take part in the dance festival and experience the thrill that dance has to offer.

Further → information and registration for the professional register for dance mediators.