Culture of Power

A Necessary Discussion for Dance Educators

Rachelle Allan, Chelsea Alley, Chelsey McNeil, Jessica Clites Smith Brigham Young University

Questions we asked ourselves:

What is power? How do we establish it and how do our students perceive and respond to it? Do we perpetuate what we saw our teachers doing, and is this a problem? What are the results of different power techniques (effects on students performance, emotional well-being, motivation)?

What is the responsibility of the students in responding to authority and power? How is power inherent in our pedagogy?

Questions we asked in interviews:

What is your first response to the word power? Is it a good thing? Is it a bad thing? What do you believe power means/looks like in a dance classroom? Do you feel like you have specific strategies to establish authority (power) in your classes? How do your students respond to that pedagogy? Do you believe the students have a responsibility in responding to or accepting power? Is your perception of power/authority different than that of your own dance teachers in the past? What specific power strategies do you remember from your own dance teachers? Have you embraced those strategies? Why or why not? Do you have a specific philosophy about how you approach power and authority in your dance classes? What is the most important thing to you when teaching dance classes or setting your own choreography?

You can have power then authority, or authority and then power. It really depends on the personality and character of a person.

I would define power as the ability to affect people.

I think it is related to authority because when a person is influential there is an implicit sense of authority that is automatically attached to their very being. I'd define power as the capability of influencing and administering to a group of people.

Power seems to enhance authority, giving it more strength.

It is related to confidence.

We truly believe that an individuals perspective on power informs his or her pedagogy. We feel that if we can bring this conversation to the front and consciously think about the way we approach use of power in our classrooms and the tradition and culture of power in the field of dance, we can become better teachers who understand and effectively utilize the power we have.

Throughout this discussion, we will offer several ideas we have begun to crystallize in the attempt to answer these questions for ourselves. In the end, we hope they will engender deeper thought and personal reflection about power in a way that will truly influence teaching philosophies for dance educators . . .

Do you feel like you have specific strategies to establish power in your classes? I like to encourage my students to discover

and create power within themselves. I appreciate people with conviction in their thinking and in their dancing.
When I teach, I dont think of myself in power per se, thats not a word that I use.

So I dont know if that is about power for me, but my responsibility is to empower my students.
Im struggling with the word power because it seems so charged with connotations of overbearing-ness which I dont think is an effective way of teaching. I dont like the strong power, everyone quiet down because Im talking, that doesnt resonate with me.

How do you establish power in your classroom? Do you think gender influences the way that you perceive or establish power?

Referent Power
Communicates a sincere caring for students; students like teacher as a person

Expert Power
Demonstrates mastery of content and teaching skills; expertise is perceived and valued

Legitimate Power
Behaves as a teacher should; authority is legal and inherent

Coercive Power
Uses knowledge of student likes and dislikes to reward and punish

-Annette Evans In hearing about these four power personalities, which do you desire most to use in teaching and which do you feel like you rely on most often?

Each has its pros and cons. In what situations would it be effective to use one versus

If the students have strong personalities and are somewhat rebellious or arent interested in their teacher or learning, they sway the balance of power to their sideand when that happens nothing constructive can happen.

empower |empou(-)r| verb [ trans. ] give (someone) the authority or power to do something
(Apple Dictionary)

You bring them to a point where they can own who they are, what they know and understand, and then take that information into the world. Thats what I feel like my responsibility as a teacher is. That it is my opportunity to be able to empower them to then take the information into their personal lives and out into the world to make a difference.

What are some specific strategies that can facilitate student empowerment so they in turn will acknowledge your authority?

What students expect from teachers:

Control the safety and learning of students
Use power wisely Be encouraging and demanding Lead the class

Teach, critique, help students learn, prepare, better

their students Pass on knowledge Earn respect Create productive learning atmosphere Discipline Foster discovery

What students actually feel like they see:

Setting up expectations Discipline Breaking down movement Expecting practice Grading Yelling Not allowing excuses Keeping students later to practice if not working Telling students how and when to move Teacher skill and presence Giving compliments and positive reinforcement

I believe that [teachers] should consciously consider what type of power they exert, and how various students respond to that. What Im suggesting is that good pedagogy would be knowing your students well enough to choose for each one a slightly different approach without making your class policy too inconsistent that students dont feel safe.

What kind of power is most effective for you as a student? How does that inform your teaching?

Lets keep the discussion going