As we head into the 2013-2014 academic year in college dance programs, I wanted to share again the ways to use the Life as a Modern Dancer Blog within a college course. During this past year, multiple dance departments around the country engaged with the project (as well as a loyal readership of professional dancers). 

Why Use The Blog in a College Course?

I began this blog because of my personal experience over the years with young modern dancers. I feel passionately about starting them out on the right foot — with current information and an accurate picture of the field. There are still many unspoken topics in modern dance – especially the fact that most dancers will make their income through teaching and not performing. The LAAMD Blog has a mission to share with college students the many ways to have a life and career in modern dance. 

Dancers from all over the United States volunteer their time and thoughts to support this mission. All posts are written within a month of them being posted (ie up-to-date, current information). I call it a "living textbook" because I am constantly adding to the site.

As you will quickly see, the artist profiles share valuable information with future dancers about a variety of topics – auditioning, choreographing, paying your bills, caring for your body, and more. These artists speak from their hearts and honestly share the details of their journeys.

How to Use This Blog in a College Course

The LAAMD Blog can be used within a variety of courses:

• Freshman Seminar
• Senior Seminar
• Composition/Choreography
• Teaching Methods
• Modern Technique

I suggest that you and all of your students within a course subscribe to the RSS feed. Or, you can simply make a note in your schedule to read the new artist profile each Monday. On Tuesdays, I post questions related to the profile. You can pick and choose between the questions and use them within a class that week. 

You also could, as the professor, pick and choose which profiles you might ask your class to read and consider. There are 33 artist profiles from the 2012-2013 academic year that you can also easily access. 

Basically, using the blog means that the students are reading, reflecting, and discussing the various artists and their stories. 

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Last, in this digital age, it simply makes sense to use a web-based resource within courses. The information is easy to access from anywhere, and it is free!