Dancing Words Blog

The Artwork of Keith Haring

As I was just writing the post for the letter H, I was reminded of the various books I have used over the years in PreK-5 dance classes with the artwork of Keith Haring.

This post is a great example of simply using books (and their images) as inspiration for a warm up or dance study. You don't always have to read the story of a book; books can serve as quick visuals for an activity.

Keith Haring's artwork inspires students from preschool all the way up to 5th grade to explore shapes, body positions, and actions such as jumps, kicks, and balances.

For many years, I have used the simple board book Ten as our visual inspiration. There is no real story in this book. 

Explore the artwork of Keith Haring in preschool dance classes as well as K-5 classes. 

 

Snowflakes and Symmetry

One of my favorite books in my classes this fall (6th-8th grade) is the small photography book Snowflakes, featuring the incredible "micro-photography" of Kenneth Libbrecht. You can purchase new and used copies on amazon.com. 

There are numerous uses for this book. The book is full of pictures and quotes, not a story with a beginning, middle, and end. Even in this digital age, my students always love having a book in hand and beautiful color images as inspiration. 

1. With my 6th grade students, we have an entire "water dance project" in conjunction with the 6th grade science curriculum. One component of the project includes states of water. This book is a great addition to my collection, to use as springboards.

2. With all of my classes, the book is a great example of symmetry. I am always on the lookout for visual images to use when exploring symmetry and asymmetry in classes.

3. In my 7th/8th grade dance elective course, we are creating an entire performance around the theme of Winter. We are using these images and embodying them as we make a stop motion film this trimester.

This book can easily be used in elementary dance classes as well. 

The Art of M.C. Escher

Yesterday I borrowed from the library a thick book with great color images of the art of M.C. Escher. The book is M.C. Escher: His Life and Complete Graphic Work by F.H. Bool et al. 

My middle school students still love using books and images as springboards for warm ups and projects. 

Escher's work is a great way to explore symmetry, connected shapes, patterns, and variation.

On amazon.com, you can find reasonably priced used copies of this book.

What's on My Shelf: Art Books (Part 3)

In part 3 of this series, I want to share about two books I love to use when my middle school students explore symmetry. 

One Hundred Flowers by Harold Feinstein is a gorgeous photography book of flowers up close. The images are bold, elegant, and eye catching. The students eagerly work together to create group shapes. The images inspire the students to think about symmetry, line, shape, and inner/outer.

With a totally different feel and look, I also love exploring symmetry with the images in the photography book Manhole Covers by Mimi Melnick and Robert A. Melnick. I am an explorer in the world for inspiration, and I love finding details in nature and in the city that I can bring into our dance classes. The students find the manhole covers to be fun and quirky; the images again inspire the students to explore and play with symmetry, line, shape, and group work.

  

I found both books used on amazon.com at great prices. Looking today, I see that you can get One Hundred Flowers for around $19 and Manhole Covers for only $12. 

 

What's on My Shelf: Art Books (Part 2)

Following up on my previous post, today I want to share about the fabulous glass artist Dale Chihuly. My middle school students love looking at his work and using the images as inspiration for group shapes. 

I will place several books are the room and put the students in small groups. They will browse the books, select about 4-6 images, and mark the selected images with Post-It Notes on the pages. As a group they create a shape to represent each sculpture, and then must also choreograph the transitions between each one. 

Exploring these sculptures in the body encourages students to experiment with group shapes, lines, pathways, levels, size, and varied qualities.

I saw an exhibit of Chihuly's work about ten years ago, and one phrase sticks in my mind from that exhibit. Chihuly strives to strike a balance "between fluid and fixed" in his work. I love that description. 

I encourage dance teachers of students in 4th-8th grades to explore the work of glass artist Dale Chihuly.

On my shelf I have:

Fire

Chihuly: 365 Days

There are great prices on used books on amazon.com. Whenever possible, having 4-5 different books on hand will allow for small group work. Check out your local library as well.

 

What's On My Shelf: Art Books (Part 1)

At work the other day, I was browsing through my books and thought that I would share some of my tried and true art books I use with middle school dance students. I have also used these books with students in 4th and 5th grades.

Sculptures are great springboards as students explore shape, level, size, and lines in their own bodies. 

Andy Goldsworthy's works of art are simply magical, elegant, and inspirational. I love having a few books on hand to allow for small group explorations. The two on my shelf are:

A Collaboration with Nature

Stone

Looking at amazon.com today, I see that you can find many of his art books at great prices used (in the $15-$20 range).

Check out your local library as well to have 3-4 books on hand for a lesson.