Teaching Dance Improvisation: A Beginner's Guide

Teaching Dance Improvisation serves as an introduction to, and a springboard for the author’s theories, practices, and curriculum building of dance improvisation as a technique. By taking a similar approach to teaching ballet, modern, jazz, tap, or hip hop, this book supplies its reader with an easy-to-follow roadmap in order to begin building and incorporating dance improvisation into dance studios/classrooms and curriculums.

Matthew Farmer is Chair of the Dance Department at Hope College and the Dorothy Wiley DeLong Endowed Professor of Dance. He is the former Co-Artistic Director of R.G. Dance Productions, current Co-Artistic Director of H2 Dance Co., and co-author of the book Introductory Modern Dance: A Teaching Manual. Matthew received his MFA from the University of Michigan in Dance Performance and Choreography, and his BA in Theatre and Dance from Hope College. Matthew was a company member of The Peter Sparling Dance Co., company member and Associate Director of LehrerDance, and has performed as a solo artist in the United States, Germany, Belgium, and the United Kingdom. Farmer’s choreography has been produced by college and university dance programs, professional dance companies, international festivals, theater companies, dance competitions, and musical theater venues throughout the United States, Germany, the United Kingdom, Mexico, France, and Ecuador. As an educator, Matthew focuses on modern dance, contemporary dance, jazz dance, improvisation, partnering, and dance composition.