“Dance Heritage Coalition Adds New Treasures to its Original List”
By Brenda Pugh McCutchen
December 10, 2020
“To bring attention to the amazing people, places and things in the dance field….”
Kudos to the Dance Heritage Coalition for adding new dance “treasures” to expand its original list of 100 luminaries.* DHC’s intent was always to continue to recognize more notables in the future after their original 100 was presented in 2000 in the publication, America’s Irreplaceable Dance Treasures—the First 100. That book –featuring significant people, places, and platforms– was well received by the dance field and continues to be an important and useful dance resource, especially in K-12.
America’s Irreplaceable Dance Treasures: the first 100
A copy of the original booklet that features the first 100 U.S. “treasures” is a must-have dance resource for all public schools. Its handy size and layout make it a useful source for dance teachers, students, dance studios, and school libraries. The informative write-up of each luminary makes a quick reference for teachers when planning lessons or identifying artists or institutions who exemplify excellence in the field. By spotlighting the special people and places which made a lasting impact on American dance, this book’s contents can inform and inspire students to develop their own artistic voice and vision. It may inspire some to further studies in choreography, performance, dance education, or world dance.
Teachers who broaden their students’ horizons by sharing the rich heritage of dance through its stellar artists, choreographers, and pioneers in varied dance styles, broaden their students’ worldview of dance. Such content is vital to increase their dance literacy. Teachers who ensure that their students grasp the big picture of dance as shown by the lives of luminaries and their work also inspire students to further their own studies and perhaps even new career options in dance. To be surrounded by the broad legacy of dance is a good way to prevent self-absorption in dance and to ensure all dance students become dance literate about their collective dance heritage by the time they graduate from high school.
Dance Curriculum Designs acquired a stack of the original booklets, America’s Irreplaceable Dance Treasures—the First 100 (2000) and we invite teachers to put them to use. Thanks to the generosity of the DHC, we offer them free (only charged for the postage to mail them). Order one free copy while supplies last on our website by clicking here. [For orders of more than one copy of America’s Irreplaceable Dance Treasures, contact info@dancecurriculumdesigns.com to figure the cost of postage. Limit 5 per customer.]
*To find out which recent “treasures” have been recognized for their significant contributions and added to the original list click Dance Heritage Coalition Celebrates New Treasures – Dance Magazine .
Brenda Pugh McCutchen is the founder of Dance Curriculum Designs and author of Teaching Dance as Art in Education (Human Kinetics:2006). She promotes the value of holistic educational dance which includes major luminaries and masterworks as integral to one’s education in dance. Chapter 8–“Dance History Culture, and Context” in Teaching Dance as Art in Education examines the value of incorporating dance luminaries to exemplify the depth and breadth of the dance phenomenon to increase literacy in dance. Access Chapter 8 for more in-depth theory of holistic educational dance through embodiment of dance history and cultures.