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Luna Kids Dance through the California Institute for Dance Learning (CIDL), offers a palette of professional learning opportunities to dance teaching artists, classroom teachers, school and arts leaders, ECE faculty, and social workers.  Our workshops and seminars combine theory and practice in a manner that activates the imagination to create change in our communities.  Using a constuctivist approach, participants are engaged through movement, writing, group dialogue, curriculum design and teaching practice.

Teacher Education Workshops
Luna Kids Dance provides opportunities for dance teaching artists and classroom teachers to take time to engage in useful inquiry, access learning - both their own and that of their students - and tap into their creativity to create liberating arts curricula.

Our teacher education services explore issues relevant to teachers and dance educators, combining theory and practice in an accessible manner that addresses the realities of today's classroom. LKD workshops are designed to be a sequential preparation for dance teaching, as well as ongoing study for the lifelong learner. Each involves movement, writing, small and large group dialogue, and curriculum design. All provide opportunities for hands-on learning as teachers create dance activities and practice teaching to colleagues. Workshops may be repeated and are eligible for continuing education credit through Mills College and towards the California Dance Educators' Association dance pedagogy certificate.

Here is what you can find at the CIDL this year:

ENTRY-LEVEL WORKSHOPS & SEMINARS
Each year Luna offers entry-level workshops for

professionals working in various settings.

CREATE, PERFORM, RESPOND
Promoting Creativity through Dance
-September 13, 2008 Berkeley
-January 24th, 2009, 9:30-12:30, Berkeley
-April 25, 2009 9:30-12:30, San Francisco (free as part of NDW Celebration)

Identify goals for learning in your teaching situation, investigate the elements of dance, and explore teaching ideas.

For dancers, teachers, parents, administrators, ECE caregivers, social service workers.  No pre-requisite. $90

Dance in Early Childhood
-September 20, 2008 9:30-12:30 Berkeley
-October 18, 2008 9:30-12:30 Berkeley
-January 24, 2009 1:30-4:30, Berkeley
-February 21, 2009 9:30-12:30, Berkeley
-May 2, 2009 9:30-12:30, Berkeley


Explore children’s natural ability to learn through movement. Learn to use dance activities to further the creative social, language and cognitive capacities of the young child, age 2-5.

For dancers, teachers, parents, administrators, ECE caregivers, social service workers.No pre-requisite. $90

FOUNDATION FOR DANCE TEACHING
Luna offers a sequential course of study for dance teaching artists and classroom teachers wanting to develop a creative, standards-based approach to teaching dance curricula. We reccomend that this 48-hour series be taken in order.

DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING CREATIVE DANCE
CURRICULA – A
-Wednesday evenings: September 24, October 1, 8, 15, 22 2008, 6:30-9:30 Mills College
-March 13-15, 2009 (Friday 4:00-7:00, all day Saturday & Sunday), Mills College
-OR through Summer Intensive July 7-9, 2008; July 8-10 2009

This course defines a creative, standards-based approach to teaching dance. Content includes: structuring discrete standards-based dance lessons, as well as integrating dance into comprehensive curricula; the elements of dance and forming; child development theory; the role of the teacher; and establishing a conducive environment for dance.

For dance teaching artists, classroom teachers and any practitioner wishing a thorough introduction to dance teaching. No pre-requisite $375. Meets college/university professional standards.

DEVELOPING AND IMPLEMENTING CREATIVE DANCE
CURRICULA – B
-2008-09 Dates TBA

Picking up where DICDC-A leaves off, DICDC-B investigates the role of the teacher in creating, implementing and sequencing standards based dance curricula in relevant and authentic ways. Participants study forming, choreographic devices, contemporary learning theories, including constructivism and deepen their understanding of the elements of dance.

For dance teaching artists, classroom teachers and any practitioner wishing to expand their investigation into dance teaching. Pre-requisite: DICDC-A, Summer Intensive or Summer Institute. Meets college/university professional standards. $300

CURRICULAR PROGRESSION
-2008-09 Dates TBA

The most advanced curriculum development course offered in arts education, CP explores the meaning of full scope and sequence in dance learning. Participants will investigate the progression of dance learning from unit to unit and year to year. We will deepen our observation, reflection and assessment skills as we explore issues such as students with multi-level experience and preparation, the school “performance” pressures, teaching expertise and competition for time and space.

For dance teaching artists, classroom teachers and any practitioner wishing to expand their investigation into dance teaching. Pre-requisite: DICDC-A, DICDC-B, Summer Intensive or Summer Institute. Meets college/university professional standards. $165

TEACHING AS INQUIRY
Continuing education seminars offered annually for dance teaching artists
and classroom teachers to delve into specific issues of practice.

ISSUES OF PRACTICE
2008-09 Dates TBA

Monthly seminar for colleagues to  improve dance teaching practice.  Content topics are those issues that emerge for teaching professionals such as: in-the-moment decision making, setting choreographic problems, teaching multiple levels in the same class, communicating learning goals for colleagues, administrators and parents and reflective practice. 

For dance teaching artists, classroom teachers and any practitioner wishing a graduate-level seminar on teaching practice. Pre-requisite: DICDC-A, Summer Intensive, Summer Institute. REQUIRED FOR TEACHERS WORKING IN SCHOOLS WITH LUNA ARTISTS. No charge to school partners, SI and ASI participants.  Sliding scale all others.

BEYOND SPACE, FORCE & TIME
A series of topic workshops for the dance-teaching practitioner. BSFT workshops assume a working understanding of the elements of dance, contemporary learning theories, child development and curricula development.

Teaching Parent-Child Dance Classes
-2008-09 Dates TBA

Investigate how dance can support the paent-child relationship:  learn to design and teach relationship-based dance curricula.

For dance teaching artists, classroom teachers, supervisors and administrators.
Pre-requisite: Any prior LKD workshop $90.

Reflective Teacher-Reflective Student
-September 20, 2008 1:30-4:30, Berkeley
- March 7, 2009 1:30-4:30 (Art Is Education Showcase & Luna's Birthday, Berkeley)
-May 30, 2009 9:30-12:30 (Showcase of dance learning Accademic Year 08-09, Berkeley)

Explore how observation, inquiry and an action researcher's approach can enhance dance learning for your students and yourself.

Pre-requisite CPR, ECE, DICDC-A, SI, school partners or equivalent.  $50

Dance Literacy
-May 9, 2009 9:30-12:30, Berkeley

Explore what it means to be dance literate.  In this seminar we will define literacy, examine how national arts initiatives and standards affect dance literacy, and develop a personal philosophy of dance teaching. 

For dance teaching artists, classroom teachers, supervisors and administrators. Pre-requisite DICDC-A, SI, school partners or equivalent.  $90

SUMMER INSTITUTES
Dance teaching artists and classroom teachers take time and space to build
authentic partnerships to bring dance learning to life.

SUMMER INSTITUTE
Application Deadline Extended to 5/15
-July 21-26, 2008 OR jULY 20-25, 2009 Mills College, Oakland

Free for participants chosen through an application process. The SI brings
six dance teaching artists together with six classroom teachers to activate
and inspire their individual imaginations. Participants work together to
create, expand, or improve comprehensive dance education programs in a
variety of settings. The SI gives each participant an opportunity to investigate
their own teaching practice while generating strategies for arts advocacy and
education/social change. Includes follow up coaching. Applications available in February. Email smcmahon@lunakidsdance.org to request an application.

ADVANCED SUMMER INSTITUTE
-July 15-18, 2008, OR July 13-17, 2009, Mills College, Oakland

Former Summer Institute participants examine how to help children deepen
their thinking within the creative process. This workshop will help each
participant build curricula from a discrete set of lessons into a progressive
study of dance units, and build dance learning from one year to the
next. Through an examination of learning models, the Advanced Summer
Institute will help teachers take children beyond an introductory level of
understanding in order to engage students in dance making at increasingly
complex levels. Includes follow up coaching.   Applications available in February.  Email smcmahon@lunakidsdance.org to request an application.

Dance Teaching Artist Resource

Luna Kids Dance has been placing the artist/teacher partnership at the center of professional development in the arts since we offered our first workshop in 1992. Luna continues to seek ways to address the needs of our society by building capacity for imagination, connecting body, mind & spirit and bringing all children to dance. We're here for you!

• Launching the 08-09 School Year  
Let the CIDL faculty help you get off to a positive start this academic year.  Bring your ideas, questions and curriculum to this FREE event, September 13th, 2008 1:30-3:30 at the CIDL.

• Consultation   
-4:30-6:30pm 9/9, 10/14, 11/18, 12/9, 2008; 1/13, 2/10, 3/10, 4/14, 5/12 2009. FREE, @ the CIDL, 2138 Cedar Street, Berkeley
Visit the CIDL the second TUESDAY of each month for consultation on dance teaching and learning. (Fee-based consultation also available.)

• Resource Room / Library
Visit the CIDL Resource room to check out books or articles on dance education or to search for teaching ideas. Call to reserve visitation time. FREE.

• Body, Mind & Spirit IN ACTION: A Teacher’s Guide to Creative Dance
by Patricia Reedy available for purchase. $25 plus shipping and handling. To order click this link.

• Cadre Groups
Luna Kids Dance is working with Oakland Unified School District teaches to coordinate dance programming, monthly meetings and peer support for dance teachers.  Call for more information.

• School and Community Alliance Program
DanceMatters, wherein we work deeply with school and arts organizations, offers a palette of services that include model classes, in-services, curriculum and consultation to build successfull dance programs from the inside-out.

• Children's Services
Offers the only composition based studio program form 3-17 year olds, dance camps, and teem mentorship program.  To Visit our Children's Services page, click this link.

• Early Childhood Education
Combines a DanceMatters structure within a play-based approach to dance as part of a sound developmental learning for children 2-5, as well as MPACT (Moving Parents and Children Together) bringing relationship-based dance classes to families in the child welfare system.