The Field: An Ecology of Learning Brought to Life by Dance
Microbiologist and soil biologist Dr. Elaine Ingham has demonstrated in her books that when creating a field, it is necessary to release the life within the soil, proving that what nourishes the plant is not synthetic fertilisers, but rather the vast network of bacteria, fungi and protozoa within the soil. This network ensures continuous flow and circulation, i.e. movement. This natural movement within the soil structure enables inter-network strengthening and growth. When the soil is tilled by human intervention, these networks are disrupted; in Ingham's words, the cities of these micro-organisms are razed to the ground. In a sense, the soil's memory and communication channels are damaged. When movement ceases, the soil becomes oxygen-deprived, leading to decay and disease.
Most of us were raised from our very first day at school with the notion that moving around was wrong, forbidden, and shameful. Sitting still was considered the ideal way to learn back then. This controlling and sometimes punitive approach, based on immobility, restricted not only our physical but also our emotional needs and expression, hindering our multi-layered development and weakening the vital network of relationships between our cognition, emotions and bodies within our inner fields.
Educational systems designed to prepare us for success raised generations disconnected from their bodies and failed to support us on the path to becoming happy individuals. This is because we were not given the opportunity to know ourselves. From an early age, we underwent education that dictated uniform knowledge, distanced us from observing our inner fields, and prevented us from hearing our own rhythms and needs, while also distancing us from creativity and critical thinking. In permaculture, the step of observing the land and soil before planting, which is done on our behalf, was disregarded from the outset by the institutions that make decisions for us, and in some places, the same system continues. Perhaps this is why some of us seek the parts of ourselves that are lost or yet to be discovered in various counselling sessions, feel-good courses, and workshops.
For the generations following us, the educational landscape looks a bit more hopeful. Today, education is transforming; nature-based approaches, various art forms, and alternative pedagogies are catching the attention of dedicated teachers who strive to create space for these methods within classical systems. Just as biodiversity increases the resilience of soil, the diversification of educational tools creates an equality of opportunity for children with different learning styles, ultimately strengthening the future of society.
At this point, as an educator, dance artist, and instructor who has long worked with various age and professional groups through a socio-pedagogical perspective, I would like to highlight the benefits of integrating dance into educational processes. I must clarify that the "dance" mentioned here does not refer to specific styles with rigid steps or patterns. Rather, it refers to creative dance and innate, natural movement,which scientific research has proven to enhance children's emotional expression and motor development. Furthermore, by "using dance in education" I am not referring to end-of-the-year school performances, but rather to dancing with concepts during a lesson, i.e.feeling and sensing the subject matter through the body.
By opening up a space for a child’s inner dance in relation to the subject being taught, we bring a three-dimensionality to the learning process. It allows the child to be an "experiencer" rather than just a listener. This realm of non-verbal, bodily communication increases active participation and helps children solidify their learning experiences. Rhythmic, fluid, and meaningful creative movements physiologically regulate a child’s heart rate and support the parasympathetic nervous system. While the classroom environment becomes calmer, focus increases through the activation of kinesthetic memory. Dance allows children to embody knowledge beyond words, understanding it in their own unique way, which supports them on the path to becoming authentic individuals. Listening to a child’s feelings, thoughts, and sensations regarding this experience completes the cycle of the process. It carries their connection with themselves and their environment beyond rigid patterns, supporting them to become vibrant, organic, sentient, and expressive individuals. Dance contributes to a child’s unique journey of learning, growth, and maturation; their internal fields are nourished by movement, and their networks of relationship are strengthened and enriched.
A bird, a squirrel, a snowdrop, a valley, a sea… If you were a student again today, what would it be like to not only read about these subjects in geography and biology books but to feel them with your body and dance as if you were them? How would the "you" who did that differ from the "you" of today? If you wish, close your eyes now and begin to try!
