Everyone has the capacity to dance right now. With A Sense of Dance, students will learn about the physical expression of dance, gain confidence in their movement potential, and discover their own creativity. Written in a conversational tone, this interactive text inspires students to discover their own strengths, weaknesses, and preferences through dance and to apply that self-awareness to creative expression and observation. A Sense of Dance helps empower students in several ways. They will develop creative thinking, reasoning skills, and self-expression. And, the text covers topics they can apply to any creative process, including • how to have an original thought, • principles of composition, • aspects of creativity and intelligence, and • constructive methods of criticism. Through the use of examples and exercises based on nonstudio experiences, the book also helps students frame the art of dance within the context of life. They'll acquire the tools necessary to appreciate, discuss, and write about dance as a fine art. Finally, the book guides students in finding their own voices as choreographers and dance appreciators. Part I of A Sense of Dance explores the ways we use our bodies to be expressive and the ways we instinctively apply the elements of dance in daily life. Part II begins with an overview of dance exploration basics and then expands into a discussion of the three major elements of movement: time, space, and effort. Part III introduces the concepts of body intelligence and perception as students are encouraged to explore and develop their own dance perceptions and creative resources. Finally, in Part IV the art of creating a dance is shown as the art of making a statement. Through a variety of choreographic exercises, students learn to translate what they see, feel, and think about the world into dance. A Sense of Dance is an excellent text for introductory dance courses taught within a humanities curriculum. It is also an ideal reference for future dance teachers currently in methods classes. Whatever your students' levels of artistic awareness, this engaging text will help them tap into the power and energy of dance.