For the past year, we have shared dancers' schedules and all that they entail – teaching, training, rehearsing, performing, commuting, and finding down time. In Fall 2015, I asked members of NDEO (the National Dance Education Organization) for dancers with full-time positions within a K-12 school to share their weekly schedules. This series will feature eight dancers from around the country working in a variety of settings.

Today you will read about Chicago-based dancer Darcy Nickel, who teaches full-time at a public school. The "My Dance Week" column offers a great window into the work done over a week – the scheduling of classes, variety and range of lesson plan themes, prep work, and more.

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I am a full-time dance teacher for K-8^th grade students at a public school in the city of Chicago. It’s really a gift that this opportunity presented itself to me after a journey through many jobs since graduating with my dance degree. In the first years after graduating, I choreographed for two middle school show choirs and taught a class at my friend’s dance studio. When I made the move to Chicago, I was hired for the work/study program at Gus Giordano Dance Center in Evanston. I cleaned in exchange for free classes. However, I still worked full-time outside the dance field.

Fast forward, I became a teacher earning a Master of Education Degree in Literacy Instruction. In the City of Chicago, they recently increased the required arts minutes for students, as well as physical education minutes. Since I have the background and degree in dance, I was hired for the dance position at my school. I feel my life has come full circle. 

There are several challenges I face in my current position. I had to create curriculum for K-8^th grade from scratch for students who had no dance background. This year, I’ve had to re-create units since students now have some skills. There are three classes at every grade level, and I see classes once every 7 days. Much of my time is spent creating lesson plans, and I take classes often so I can maintain my own skills as a dancer. Dance classes take place in the lunch room, in the classroom, and sometimes outside since I have no space that belongs to me. My schedule varies from day to day and week to week. My second year as the dance teacher has been really exciting because the seeds I’ve planted are taking root. 

I hope my journey serves as a reminder that you are never too old, it is never too late. There are always possibilities waiting for you when you are ready!

Monday:

7:30 – Arrive at school. Start preparing materials for the day and setting up of my computer and video to show.

8:15–9:15 – 5^th Grade Dance  – Exploring ideas of contrast (Multi-Purpose Room)

9:15–10:15 –  8^th Grade Dance – Close read of two Martha Graham Pieces (Multi-Purpose Room)

10:15–11:15 - 6^th Grade Dance – Exploring relationships (Classroom)

11:15–12:00 - Lunch (During lunch, I enter grades from the morning and begin grading 8^th grade reviews of Martha Graham.)

12:00–1:00 – Specials Teachers Team Meeting. We discuss student needs and start organizing ideas for the winter show.

1:00pm–2:00pm – Kindergarten Dance – Exploring shapes (Classes are out in the mobiles.)

2:00pm–3:00pm – Second Grade Dance – Exploring pathways (Multi-Purpose Room)

3:00pm–3:30pm – Organize and clean up materials.

4:30 – Arrive home. After eating, I work on lesson plans for a few hours.

Tuesday:

7:30am – Arrive at school. Start preparing materials for the day and setting up of my computer and video to show.

8:15–9:15 – 4^th Grade Dance  – Exploration of rhythm (Multi-Purpose Room)

9:15–10:15 – 7^th Grade Dance – Contact improv (Multi-Purpose Room)

10:15–11:15 - Recess duty

11:15–12:00 - Lunch (During lunch, I enter grades from the morning and finish grading the Martha Graham reviews. Met with a student briefly to discuss his work.)

12:00–1:00 – Prep (Worked on lesson plans and completing comments for IEP.)

1:00pm–2:00pm – Kindergarten Dance – Review locomotor and non-locomotor with directions (Classes are out in the mobiles.)

2:00pm–3:00pm – 3^rd Grade Dance – Exploring levels (Multi-Purpose Room)

3:10pm – Left school.

5:00pm–6:20pm –  Attended African Dance class.

Wednesday: (School Holiday)

7:00 am–12:00pm – Woke up.  After breakfast and tea, worked on writing, researching, and creating materials for my dance units.

12:00pm–3:00pm – Took a walk. Ate lunch. Household chores.

3:00pm–4:00pm – Prepared guitar lesson for my after school guitar program.

4:00pm – Time for myself and family.

Thursday:

7:30am – Arrive at school. Start preparing materials for the day and setting up of my computer and video to show.

8:15–9:15 – 4^th Grade Dance – Exploration of rhythm (Multi-Purpose Room)

9:15–10:15 – 7^th Grade Dance – Contact improv (Multi-Purpose Room)

10:15–11:15 - 6^th Grade Dance – Introduction to Lewitzky Dance Company – Impressions and the inspiration Henry Moore. (I was not able to get my laptop to project onto the screen, so I had to gather students on the floor and show them images directly from the laptop.)

11:15–12:00 - Lunch (During lunch, I enter grades from the morning.)

12:00–1:00 – Prep (Worked on lesson plans, checked emails, and talked to colleagues.)

1:00pm–2:00pm – 1^st Grade Dance – Creating ordinary objects with movement (Classroom)

2:00pm–3:00pm – 7^th Grade math intervention

3:00pm–4:00pm – Taught after school guitar class for students.

4:00–4:30pm –  Cleaned up and organized materials.

Friday:

7:00AM – Hopped on the bus.

7:30AM – Arrived at CPS Fine Arts Professional Development

8:00AM–3:00pm – Attended 4 different workshops. Spent lunch talking to colleagues.

Saturday:

7:00am–12:00pm – Worked on lesson plans.

12:00–1:30 – Made lunch and cleaned up.

1:50–3:00pm – Attended a tap dance class.

Sunday:

Attended ballet class. Enjoyed personal time.

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Related posts: 

Leadership in Dance 2016: Kathryn Humphreys (Hubbard Street Dance Chicago)

A Modern Dancer's Guide to…..Chicago

Becoming a Teaching Artist: Prep Time

A Children's Picture Book about Martha Graham

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