I am very excited to be launching my new early years dance program this March, IntelliDance! IntelliDance™ is a series of creative dance programs, created to foster critical development in children ages of 0-5. Research shows that dance and movement activities offered in a loving, safe, multi-sensory environment are key to life long learning and neural development.
The IntelliDance™ programs recognize that there are many facets to early development, provide programming that supports multiple-intelligences, and a holistic approach finding balance in mental, physical, and emotional health. The programs strive to deepen the child-caregiver bond in a fun and free environment, using a concept based vocabulary that is easily transferred to everyday experiences. programs identify that children learn best when engaged in developmentally appropriate activities, based on fun, movement, song, rhyme, imagination, and play, allowing for freedom of expression. We want caregivers and children in our classes to explore and learn new concepts while sharing the joy of dance and movement together!
To help me in my development of this program I attended a conference in Seattle 2008 at the Creative Dance Center. This center was created by Anne Green Gilbert one of the leading educators in Brain Compatible Dance. One of the most exciting things I was able to study in depth in Anne’s workshops was the BrainDance.
Anne created the concept of the BrainDance in 2000. The BrainDance is based on the fundamental movement patterns all humans discover in the first year of life. These movement patterns ”wire the central nervous system by laying the foundations for appropriate behavior and attention, eye convergence necessary for reading, sensory-motor development, and more.” (Anne Green Gilbert, Brain Compatible Dance Education, 2006).
In essence these 8 developmental movement patterns lay the foundation for future learning. However the importance of going through these patterns does not end at 1 year of age. The BrainDance was created as a way to warmup both the body and the brain, to prepare individuals for continued and new learning, with mind and body integrated. The BrainDance helps individuals focus, explore the connections and relationships between body parts and the mind, and re-energize, all aspects critical for learning and daily life. More in-depth details on how Anne Green Gilbert created the BrainDance can be found in her book “Brain Compatible Dance Education”( 2006). Also a great article from the Creative Dance Center here.
Here are the basic 8 sequential patterns of the BrainDance
1. Breath- take 5-6 deep breaths in and out
2. Tactile- squeeze, tap, pat, brush, scratch all body parts
3. Core- Distal- Reach out with toes, fingers, head, tail and then curl back to your core.
4. Head-Tail- Move head and tail separately and together in all planes, wiggle spine.
5.Upper-Lower-Move all parts in the Upper body, then move all parts in the Lower body
6. Body Sides- Move all parts on the right side of the body, then move all parts on the left side of the body, do horizontal eye tracking
7. Cross Lateral- Move across midline and connect upper and lower body quadrants do vertical eye tracking
8. Vestibular-Move off balance with spins, rolls, swings, dips, and tips on all levels.
This is obviously a very clinical version of the BrainDance. In our IntelliDance classes we will be exploring the BrainDance sequence as a fun warm up using age appropriate songs, rhymes, and movement activities. I know at first I was skeptical as to whether my 2 year old would do these activities with me, but Bria loves doing the BrainDance and will often ask me throughout the day if we can do her “brain exercises”. She loves singing twinkle twinkle little star while we do the Core-Distal and asks me for her “Vestibular” while we twist and spin in the washing machine.
In future posts I will include some easy fun activities for the BrainDance that can be modified for ages 6 weeks to 5 years, as well as a more in-depth explanation as to the importance of each part of the developmental sequence.
