Introducing Laverty Family Dance
Sept. 7, 2007
When Dane Laverty started teaching modern dance in Dallas, Oregon, the public response was somewhat uncertain. "The question I hear most frequently is, 'Modern dance? What is that?'" says Dane, owner of Laverty Family Dance. "People just aren't aware of the different dance styles available. Everyone knows ballet or line dancing, but that's often where it ends."
So what is modern dance? Dane explains, "There are essentially three kinds of performance dance: ballet, jazz, and modern, each with its own goals." Modern dance develops the expressive and creative potential of the dancers. In contrast, ballet focuses on discipline, using structure and tradition to attain technical perfection. Jazz dance, which includes a wide range of styles, from hip-hop to tap dancing, focuses on learning how to impress and entertain. They form a triangle, each emphasizing a different aspect of performance. Dane says, "Each style of dance is valuable. I choose to focus on modern dance because I find that it's the dance form that best develops the person as a whole-not just the body, but also the mind and personality."
Self-perception and body-image are important issues in any style of dance. "When dance teaches students that how they look is more important than they you feel, students start to get a distorted self-perception," says Dane. "Modern dance is about learning what feels right. It's about learning to love and work with the body you have." This is especially important for teens and adults, who are often very self-conscious about their bodies. "Everyone knows that teenagers face body-image issues. I think we're much less aware that grown-ups deal with the same problems. They're just able to hide it better because they don't have to attend P.E. classes and their moms can't sign them up for sports or dance lessons. That's why I think dancing is so important for adults. It's a powerful vehicle for coming to terms with your body."
Dane started Laverty Family Dance as a way to share his love of dance with the community. "Dance combines exercise and art. It keeps you moving without the grind of gym exercise. Modern dance is about learning to express yourself with movement. It's non-competitive and non-threatening in a very supportive, positive environment. That makes it a great place to start for people who haven't danced before." Laverty Family Dance operates out of the Pearl Center in downtown Dallas. Classes are available for children and adults. For information, call 503-831-1341.
Jon and Sharon Bott's www.how2dance.com will teach you how to swing, slide, and shake it in style.
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