Monday, September 13, 2010
Looking for beauty...tentative road trip of discovery map
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Here you see a probable route, we've been working on the details and seem to have come to a consensus. We are cross referencing National Parks, areas of beauty and natural wonder, dance people and communities that are inspirational or interesting, progressive school districts, and family. We are actively looking for communities that we want to spend time in, if you have any recommendations at all, we'd love to incorporate them.
For the teachers and thinkers out there, two of the books I'm reading, Everything Green Classroom Book by Tessa Hill, and Last Child in the Woods, by Richard Louv, offer great and practical, as well as theoretical ideas about children and nature, and the way times have changed. Lately I've been inundated with appropriately serendipitous information from an article in Telegraph Herald (the local Dubuque daily paper), and Iowa Public Radio which both rally around the benefits of nature to a child's thought process and their ability to think critically. Both mention that children that spend time outside on a grass play ground have a different (and MORE complete and complex) thought experience than children that spend time on blacktop or cement.
I'm looking forward to deepening my experiential research in surrounding myself with nature, observing breath, dance impulses, and changes in thought process.
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5 comments:
I like the route that brings you through Minneapolis (since that's where I live). My family did a trip on part of your route. We drove from the Twin Cities to Mitchel South Dakota one day, saw the corn palace, headed to Wall the next day, then onto the Badlands and then Custer state park. If you go the northern route, plan more time than you think you'll need in the badlands. It's a totally cool place.
Safe trip, Alex
Hey thanks! I was a little apprehensive about the Badlands, good to hear you loved it. Is this Alex from North Avondale? We are planning on coming through Minneapolis, I have another friend there I hope to see, and I hear there are some interesting dance projects happening. Hope you have a good day!
Thanks Theresa for letting me know about a much needed edit. It's so important to iterate that time spent outside in the grass encourages MORE (not less) complete and complex thinking in children. I look forward to writing more about the benefits of nature on young minds!
If you haven't been to Earthdance in the Berkshires, I highly recommend it. It's in the Berkshires - Plainfield, Massachusetts - http://www.earthdance.net/
Jacob's Pillow is not far (though not much happens there outside of the summer months, I think you can still visit the archives and it's a great dance landmark)
and Mass MOCA is near there also which is great and has many performances there.
Have fun!
Jennifer- I have always wanted to spend time at Earthdance, there are such amazing workshops, and it looks so peaceful and idyllic. When we check out the NorthEast area we will definitely put that on the map. Jacob's Pillow is also a place where so many of my favorite teachers and mentors reside during the festival. I would love to take classes there in the summer! Thanks for this info on MOCA, I will for sure check it out. I am always looking for dance chances!
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