This book is a seminal seated dance guidebook for global dance and health practitioners. Seated dance is an inclusive and diverse form of physical activity, suitable for all, regardless of age or disability.
The book offers valid advice, inspiration and a wide range of tried and tested teaching and learning approaches to help practitioners succeed in the seated dance classroom, covering all ages and settings. This book introduces a potted historical journey of seated dance and subsequently guides the professional practitioner through the critical stages of setting up professional, safe and creative seated dance sessions. Research and evidence are gathered ‘in and on practice’ through the author’s dedicated dance career and teaching reflections as a Royal Academician of Dance (RAD) teacher and are underpinned by a theoretical background in mental health and wellbeing in education. It contains contributions by valued peers and professionals and extracts from research theorists in the field. ‘Take Your Seat’ is a career professional development Group-approved text (CPD) enabling the reader to claim personal and professional development points. The author places the art of seated dance at the centre of dance education, making it inclusive, diverse, accessible and justifiable in today's various dance arts and health settings.
This book integrates the author's extensive experience in dance, contemporary mental health and wellbeing research and insights from esteemed peers. It empowers practitioners to embrace diverse perspectives, fostering an inclusive and forward-thinking dance environment.
By:
Samantha Jennings
Imprint: Routledge
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions:
Height: 297mm,
Width: 210mm,
Weight: 350g
ISBN: 9781032858548
ISBN 10: 1032858540
Series: Routledge Advances in Theatre & Performance Studies
Pages: 166
Publication Date: 10 April 2025
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
· Exercise Disclaimer · Information Disclaimer · Foreword · Preface · Author biography · Contributors Biographies · Acknowledgements Chapter 1 Seated Dance Unveiled : A Rich History and Essential Background · What is seated dance? · Why publish a seated dance guide? · Historical background to seated dance. Chapter 2 The Three P’s – People, Place and Posture · People - A seated demographic · Place – Seated dance settings · Posture – Sitting pretty · Wheely good chairs for performance Chapter 3 Mastering Seated Dance: The Art of Great Teaching · What makes a great teacher · The teacher’s strengths · Good leadership · Thinking through seated dance practice · Visual imagery - An essential teaching tool · Learning styles Chapter 4 Structuring Your Seated Dance Class · Structuring dance classes · Children’s or adults’ teaching style · Educational learning theories and frameworks Chapter 5 Structuring Your Seated Dance Class (Part 2) - Introducing “AMBLE” · Bloom’s Taxonomy as part of a seated dance lesson plan · Introducing AMBLE – Author’s own seated dance framework Chapter 6 Harmonies of Movement: The Vital Role of Music in Seated Dance · Why music is integral to teaching dance · Music copyright laws seated practitioners need to know · What happens in our brain when we hear music? · The Evolution of music playing in dance teaching · Choosing music for seated dance · Online music - how it can support seated dance teaching Chapter 7 Props that Pop: Elevate your Seated Dance Classes · Props for seated dance · Art activity: How to make a handmade maraca for seated dance · Seated tap dance · Hand tapping Chapter 8 Dance in Mind: Mental Health Awareness in Seated Dance · Integrating Mental Health Awareness into Dance Education · Improving our understanding of mental health practice · Purpose in Life · Principles of mindfulness in seated dance Chapter 9 Flourish – Optimum Wellbeing in the Seated Dance Classroom. · Introduction to Seligman’s PERMA framework · Positive Emotion the first key element of PERMA · Positive Emotion in Practice in the dance studio Chapter 10 Harmony in Motion: Engagement, Flow and Relationship · Exploring Engagement Flow and Relationships in seated dance · The third element of the PERMA framework is Relationships · Relationships case study Chapter 11 Unlocking Optimum Wellbeing: Exploring Meaning and Accomplishment in Seated Dance · The Multifaceted Impact of Purpose and Meaning · Accomplishment in seated dance · A Professional Dancer’s perspective – Accomplishment · Dance and meaning - an interview Chapter 12 An Example Lesson Plan Utilizing both AMBLE and the PERMA Framework · Seated Lesson plan example – Under the Ocean utilising AMBLE and PERMA framework · Further considerations for Optimal Mental Health and Well-being in your seated dance class plan Chapter 13 Unleashing Imagination: Fostering Creativity in Seated Dance · Creativity underplayed in traditional dance curriculum · Creating a nurturing and creative environment · Becoming a creative teacher in the seated dance classroom Chapter 14 Refining your Craft: Evaluation and Feedback · Reflective and Reflexive practice as dance practitioners · Reflective theories · Providing constructive feedback Chapter 15 Professional Excellence in Seated Dance Instruction • Seated Dance Professional Responsibilities • Statutory requirements for seated dance practitioners Chapter 16 Equality, Diversity and Inclusion in Seated Dance • Equality • Diversity • Inclusion • Men and Dance Chapter 17 Embracing the Digital Dance Floor – Navigating Seated Dance in Hybrid Times • In-person and Online Seated Dance • Hybrid teaching - a progressive technological step forward • Teaching seated dance digitally Chapter 18 Unlocking the Rhythm: Overcoming Barriers to Seated Dance · Overcoming barriers in dance · Intrinsic Motivation in dance · Common barriers to seated dance · Addressing barriers Chapter 19 Seated Dance Research and Innovation · Recent seated dance research · Future of seated dance · Seated Dance Summary Appendices Teacher’s Resources CPD Information Index
Samantha Jennings is a health and wellbeing practitioner with the practical application (30 years) in dance and creative arts. She is a lecturer and registered RAD teacher and launched seated dance teacher training as a CPD webinar for the RAD in 2022.
Reviews for The Practitioner’s Essential Guide to Teaching Seated Dance Across the Lifespan: Take Your Seat!
''A pertinent and well-timed post-covid offering that considers how to creatively engage an ageing population in safe health enhancing movement and dance activity. The author is a highly experienced and knowledgeable dance and health practitioner who brings passion for her art into a lively and useful guide that builds on a plethora of research underlining how dance activity can meet health, well being and social needs. This book has much to offer within the growing field of arts and health.'' Dr Jane Turner, London Metropolitan University, UK ''Samantha, in her work and what she offers us in this book gives us opportunities for exercise when we might not find it elsewhere and the pleasure and stimulation of chair-based ‘dance’. In doing this she is moving our health in positive directions, giving us the opportunity of the company of others and giving us new purpose when we might not otherwise have it.'' Dr Piers Worth, PhD, editor and author of Positive Psychology Across the Lifespan ''With Take Your Seat!, Samantha Jennings shines a light on the burgeoning need for physical activities that can accommodate people with limited mobility. Dancing while seated is an activity that will appeal to an enormous number of people and her expertise and passion open an invaluable window on how to teach seated dance and additionally emphasising mental health benefits.'' Linda Carbone, author of A Little Pregnant; longtime book editor with HarperCollins, Scholastic Press and other American publishers; and one of Samantha Jennings’ grateful Silver Swans
