Employing Circle Dancing for Neural Development
Information comes into our bodies through the senses of sight, hearing, touch, taste and smell and travel to receptors in the brain as patterns. These patterns circulate around the various parts of a brain looking for similar patterns and previous information about whether this incoming information is worthy of attention, whether the experience was pleasant or not and so on. When a similarity is found, the new information strengthens and stimulates the old patterns, now existing in the brain as memory. When these old familiar patterns are stimulated (fired) they also excite their neighbors. The more often these patterns find their way down the same neural pathways, the stronger the pathways become, eventually coating themselves with mylin sheaths.
An important statement about how we learn is: "Cells that fire together wire together" (Hebb) All of the sensations taken in during one event and the parts of the brain required to interpret and act upon the event, are stored together. The more information available for comparison, the quicker and more permanently the brain retains and builds upon this information. This data, remember, is actually electric, neurochemical patterns that travel faster than the speed of light. Familiar yet novel experiences and teaching strategies, actually build integrated neural circuitry - a superhighway for new learning, retention and retrieval of information and provide the potential for creative thought. This ability to problem solve may be foremost in evolution.
The basic skills of rhythm, movement and tonal variation (music) when done together as in circle dancing and singing, create strong integrated neural pathways which prepare young brains toward learning and cognitive development in the fields of emerging literacy, math, science and the arts. Reading Rhythm is a 15-minute program for your classroom that will give you the benefits of an arts program. Because rhythm, movement and music have been present in most societies for thousands of years, I suggest that this combination in the form of circle dancing and singing is the optimum method of intake that improves social interaction and offers the possibility of countless curriculum tie-ins.
Susan Slack is an internationally recognized author, workshop facilitator, keynote speaker and recording artist, offering Professional Development and coaching series. She works with staff from Head Start, Daycare Centers, YMCAs, libraries, scouts, schools and professional conferences.
Susan (B.A. in Performing Arts, SUNY Empire) is trained in voice, world percussion and dance, mime, composition and theater. She provided Diversity Training with improvisational theater at Walt Disney World. She is the author of, "Come Join the Circle; Singing and Dancing for Early Childhood Education", a how and why handbook for parents and teachers, published in 2006.
At the age of 18 she became a member of the resident company of the Studio Arena Theater in Buffalo, her home town. Part of that task included performing in schools through the federally funded Title One program. She studied voice with Eugene Brice and theater at the Herbert Berghoff Studio, both in NYC and starred in traveling east coast productions. In 1974 she won second place for Best Female Vocalist in the state-wide Virginia Folk Music Association, Bluegrass competition. There in Virginia, she continued her career with children by becoming a traveling story teller in remote country locations on the Brunswick County Library Bookmobile.
She is a jazz vocalist of note appearing in concert with known jazz musicians and composing for, recording and directing "Susan and the Slack Band". Susan has composed for dance companies and accompanied and studied in dance classes from ballet to mime, modern to Middle Eastern and Native American. Dance training includes Hawkins technique with Floorplay Dance company in Buffalo; Dunham technique (standardized African/Caribbean) with Pearl Reynolds (student of Katherine Dunham), Graham technique at Pavlachenko Studio and Toronto Dance Theater, both in Toronto and continues her 15 year study of Taoist Tai Chi. Susan studied classical West African drum and dance with Nigeria's Baba Olatunji and Mali's Abdul Dumbia; jazz with Al Tinney (Charlie Parker, Max Roach); percussion with Colin Wolcott (Oregon, Paul Winter Consort, Codona, U2) as well as teachers from Africa, Asia, Middle East, North, Central and South America.
- Founder & Director of the Open Circle Players, and interactive story-theatre company touring schools, libraries and festivals throughout Florida 1999-2007
- For three years taught courses to Early Childhood Providers at the Sarasota County Technical Institute.
- Creative Arts Specialist at Justin Lee Wiesner Early Childhood Learning Center at Temple Beth Sholom in Sarasota
- Teaching Artist for the Sarasota County Arts Council's "Artists in the Schools" program from 1999 to 2008 (when the program was discontinued)
- Teaching for Chautauqua County Arts Council, Young Audiences, New York Institute for Arts in Education and VSA (Very Special Arts)
Discography
All My Relations Contributions to world-wide compilation CD & book; PeaceWorks 2005
Beginner Drum Instruction for the Dances of Universal Peace; PeaceWorks 1993
Semah - Cassette of original and traditional songs for voice and drum, featuring pianist, Richard Shulman; Wahaba Records 1991
The Original American Kazoo-a-Long; with Jerry Raven, original tunes for and about Kazoos; published and distributed by KazooCo, Div. of Brimms Inc. Tonawanda NY 1986
Sunrise - Album of original jazz/folk songs featuring Richard Shulman (Richheart Records), piano & arrangements; Peter Leitch, (Oscar Peterson, Woody Shaw, Milt Jackson) guitar; Dave Schiavone (Woody Herman), sax; Bobby Previte, (Moscow Circus, Enja Records)drums; Wahaba Records 1981
Tawna: Forest Phantom, Terry Christenson 1979 Radio Canada International E 1267
