2013 Volume 29 Pages 37-54
In Japan, ballroom dance has been developed competition-style centered through its historical transitions. Because of that, the ballroom dance lecture methods, which are being made mainstream in nowadays Japan, are spending plenty of time starting from learning established figures to gradually polishing and improve the dance. The aim of this study is to argue the importance of the introduction of ballroom dance lectures, instead of centering them on learning established figures, the understanding of the importance of the musicianship, rhythmical sense and expressional feeling contained in every dance, and the proposal of a new ballroom dance lecture style that enables the students learn the specific characteristics of each dance joyfully through improvisational communication.
The ballroom dance lecture plans are composed focusing on the following 3 points. First, the lectures are trying to be easily imaginable even by beginner students, second, learning each dance’s characteristical musical expression through improvisational communication while emphasizing the learning flow. Third, the lecture plans zoom-in on the improvised “lead and follow” -learning, which is an original character of ballroom dance, where, as a characteristic, students develop lectures by feeling each dance’s music and enjoying full body expressions. Through the proposed learning method the potential of a new way of ballroom dance as general education is suggested, while the students acquire physical intercultural communication awareness.
