Jennifer Gates
HLAC 1720-002
Social Dance I (LW)
April 24, 2012
Social Dance: e-Portfolio
1.)What did you learn about lifelong wellness from taking this General Education class?
I think one of the key factors I learned from any class like my Social Dance class, is to keep practicing the various exercises learned in class. Not only will the body be able to stay active and healthy, but the muscle memory of learning the different exercise routines learned through this class will not fade due to a lack of practice. Another key factor for classes, such as Social Dance, is to use self-discipline. Once leaving the class, it will be up to the former students to keep up the lessons each student has learned throughout the recent course. While students may not be graded on performance with a letter grade, but they will notice signs of a lack of practice from those around them who have seen their activities during the semester and from their own bodies as they monitor themselves. In Social Dance, you can try practicing at local dances too!
2.)How would you apply this information into the rest of your life?
The exercises learned in my Social Dance class to help my body stay active and healthy. These exercises will also help to maintain the muscle memory acquired from learning and practicing the appropriate dance steps. Besides these factors, I really feel the lessons learned during this course will be something I can and will use over and over again. I have taken another course, but that seems more like a solitary exercise used to maintain health. The beauty I see in learning social dances from this course is that this information can be applied in social settings where it is often easier to maintain a healthy habit that many other people can use and that is a fun experience when using the appropriately applied methods. Plus, I think it's a fun class!
3.)Is your intention to continue to practice (dancing) doing this during your life?
It is my intention that I keep practicing, so that I can take the basic steps I have learned in this course and apply it to when I go to dances or other social gatherings and use the lessons and talents used in my dance class. In this way, others can also benefit from learning routines I have learned and acquired during this course, and I could meet new people who share the same interests, building various friendships along the way. It is also something I enjoy which will help to make it easier to keep up the already learned dance routines! :)
4.)General ideas for improving this class?
I think it was helpful to me when each portion of the dance (male and female) where split up so that each student could learn their specific part before breaking into couples. This worked well when we were first learning the basic steps to a new dance routine. By learning the basic steps for each part on our own first, we acquire the muscle memory for future steps in the current routine. After learning the basic step for both dance sections (male and female), it was also nice to practice with a partner so that we knew what it was supposed to feel like for each person's section, while working together to learn the current social dance section (i.e Meringue, Waltz, Cha-Cha, etc.) that we where learning at the time. Having a partner helps us know and understand the combined patterns and movements, so we get an idea of how it is supposed to look when we apply these steps in different social settings. I think it also help to practice with a partner so that we can help each other learn the basic steps as partners learn to dance together in social settings. Oh yeah, and remember to have fun! :)
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