1. ODC/DANCE &
Educating Dance Audiences (EDA)
Brenda Way
Founder, Artistic Director, ODC
KT Nelson
Co-Artistic Director, ODC

2. What is ODC’s I Speak Dance?
· Project aims to cultivate fluency and life-long
interest in dance among a young adult
audience.
· Focus is on regional college students for whom
we created a portable mini-curriculum aimed at
providing exposure and first-hand interaction
with live, high-quality professional dance.

3. Four Components of I Speak Dance:
· Film
· Immediate Dance
· Unplugged
· Performance

4. Questions
Post Film Post Unplugged Dance
• Describe something you remember • Describe something you remember e.g. "I
e.g. "I noticed...", "I wonder about..." noticed ...", "I wonder about ..."
• In a few words, describe your • In a few words, what is your impression of
the work?
impression of ODC.
• Did anything surprise you?
• Did anything surprise you and if • Did anything confuse you?
so, what?
• How did the performance make you feel?
• Did anything confuse you and if • Were you engaged while watching the
so, what? performance?
• Describe something you learned from
Post Immediate Dance watching this performance.
• Have you ever performed before?
• What was your favorite move? Post Performance
• Did anything surprise you?
• What did you like most about the
experience? • Did anything confuse you?
• How did the performance make you feel?
• What was most challenging?
• Did you discuss the work during
• Do you think this will affect the way intermission?
you see dance? • Would you attend a concert again? Why?
• Were you engaged while • Were you engaged while watching the
participating? performance?

5. Part 1: Film
Love on the Run
View the 6 minute film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=blpArhFUcOk

6. Film Findings
Did Anything Surprise You?
Fall 2010 Spring 2011
N
N
Y Y
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
“It surprised me that even though they made simple movements it looked interesting.”
“The transition from pedestrian movement outdoors to dance movement on a stage.”
“How everyday movements can be turned into dance.”
“I was surprised that you can find traces of modern dance and dance in general in everyday routines/actions.”
Did Anything Confuse You?
Fall 2010 Spring 2011
N N
Y Y
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
“Ending left me uncomfortably ambiguous. “

7. Film Findings
Were You Engaged?
Fall 2010 Spring 2011
N N
Y Y
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
“Interesting to see how people have different views on what modern dance is.”
“Because I could easily relate my everyday movements to dance.”
“The simplicity of the movement had a large impact on me.”
“The choreography was intricate and intense, it kept me hooked.”
“The movements were surprising, unpredictable, captivating.”

8. Part 2: Immediate Dance

9. Immediate Dance Findings
Will This Affect The Way You See Dance?
Fall 2010 Spring 2011
N
N
Y
Y
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00%
“I love bringing together different disciplines = looking at dance through the lenses of visual arts and vice-versa.”
“I appreciate dancers more than I already did. “ “ I now know how much goes into a performance “
“It gave a behind the scenes look at how dance is made “ “ An instantaneous production IS possible! “
“It has demystified the dance world a bit as far as the leap between professional and academic learning “
“A lot of aspects are present in dance, not just the usual. There's a mental & emotional aspect too. “
“ Even the simplest moves can be turned into a dance move. “
Were You Engaged?
Fall 2010 Spring 2011
N N
Y Y
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
“I was mentally engaged as well as physically “ “ All the collaboration and sharing of ideas helped keep me engaged. “
“I was excited to see all my peers participate in the entire piece and seeing how everything came together. “
“It was a team effort and i wanted to support and engage the team“

10. Unplugged Findings
Did Anything Surprise You?
Fall 2010 Spring 2011
N N
Y Y
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
“How effortless it looked” “How well they were able to express situations and feelings”
“The male-male partnering! Loved it!” “How does one remember so much choreography”
“The use of air movements and the risks taken by the dancers”
Did Anything Confuse You?
Fall 2010 Spring 2011
N N
Y Y
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
“Some of the messages could have many meanings”
“I had a little trouble deciding what the right interpretation of the piece was.”

11. Unplugged Findings
Were You Engaged?
Fall 2010 Spring 2011
N N
Y Y
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
“I wanted more even though the dance was over” “Watched with open eyes and open heart”
“Everything was so beautiful the literal interpretation and the not so literal was balanced well”
“Hearing the background story and ideas behind the piece allowed me to be even more engaged.”
“the combination of music, lighting, pauses, and dance was in perfect synergy.” “The dance really
reminded me of that painting of the sculptures” “A lot of nice texture. At the same at the very
very beginning. When you’re illustrating sound. I like that instructional illustration.” “I felt like it
was really great visual repetition and like I never got tired of seeing this sort of vignette that kinda
kept happening.”

12. Part 4: Performance

13. Performance Findings
Did Anything Surprise You?
Fall 2010 Spring 2011
N N
Y Y
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
“The use of the space was so innovative, every section was unexpected”
“The audience laughed! It was wonderful” “I enjoyed how different each piece was from the others.”
“The movement in the second piece was very different from what I am used to seeing from ODC. I
liked it a lot!” “I enjoyed how different each piece was from the others.”
Did Anything Confuse You?
Fall 2010 Spring 2011
N N
Y Y
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00% 0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
“I just always wonder about the meaning behind movements and dances”
“The dances hold too much content for me to perceive in one performance”

14. Performance Findings
Were You Engaged?
Fall 2010 Spring 2011
N
N
Y
Y
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00%
“Loved that the performances seems immediate and personal” “Level changes, intricate
movement. Eager to see what happened” “There was this element of play in the second piece.
VERY FUN! Loved the energy, music, jumps and turns.” “Very interesting to see how they use the
different shapes of the body and I enjoy the stories.” “It made me want to get up and dance”
Would you attend a concert again?
Fall 2010 Spring 2011
Maybe Maybe
N N
Y
Y
0.0% 20.0% 40.0% 60.0% 80.0% 100.0%
0.00% 20.00% 40.00% 60.00% 80.00% 100.00%
“It is unlike anything I have seen before - yet somehow, familiar” “Thought-provoking and
creative” “It was different & raised thought on many controversial issues.” “The performance was
a reminder to embrace the arts - the performers heightened my awareness” “I would bring a
friend with me again next time”

15. Performance Findings
Did you discuss the work at intermission?
N
Y
0.0% 10.0% 20.0% 30.0% 40.0% 50.0% 60.0% 70.0% 80.0% 90.0% 100.0%

16. Conclusion
1. We did not see a significant preference for one or the other means of access.
2. We found a correlation between repeated feedback opportunities and increased
complexity and ease of response, even after these few activities.
3. We found that the students cross-referenced events.--- ie. Although different in
kind, cumulative dance experiences enriched responses to individual activities.
4. We did not figure out how to test the hypothesis that a social dimension increased
receptivity although comfort and appreciation levels were high.
Five thoughts come to mind:
1. While we did find some apprehension about modern dance among the general
public, not so among the university cohort--- or perhaps we did not adequately tease
this attitude out at the outset We should have asked directly, did you expect to like
this experience?
2. In contrast to our assumption that computers or smart phones would be the best
communication tools, we found that responses were best elicited by written
questionnaires or small group discussion. (although we must note, we didn’t have
access to student email or texting addresses)
3. Our program did not seem to prepare the students for less familiar fare but even so, it
did provoke interest in the art form;
4. We should launch a four year follow–up to see how many participants actually attend
dance in the future.
5. Confusion is not necessarily a negative; a measure of ambiguity even seemed
attractive.