Teacher Exchange & Research Programme (T.E.R.P.)

For the first time in history an intensive and special exchange and research programme about teaching methods, didactics and pedagogics in Urban Dance took place. The idea was brought up by Artur Libanio, Patrick Grigo and Mike Saretzki who together with several dance teachers and coaches met in Dornbirn (Austria).

Wednesday 6 July 2016 - some of the many practicing Urban Dance teachers and coaches of the German speaking region meet at the FRK Danceschool to exchange and to research. Above all that are methods and pedagogics for sustainable and year-to-year dance classes which are on the top of the points to be discussed.

Artur Libanio, the head of Groove from Neuchatel (Switzerland) and Funky Mike Saretzki, artistic director of the FRK Danceschool in Dornbirn (Austria) had already some conversations before. By accident in a meeting during the Red Bull BC One Switzerland in Bern Artur came in touch with Patrick Grigo, co-founder of and8.dance and director of movetoohot, and found this way another activist who can exhibit the necessary expertise with long-term experience either. Without further ado they decided to push things forward together and to organise a kick-off-meeting in order to find contact points and to develop a first concept allowing to work sustainably.

This meeting was also attended by Paulo Silva, the partner of Artur at Groove, Nicole Binggeli from NoEasyProps from Zurich as well as Tricky, Uncle Willi, Mona, Claudia and Inge from the FRK Danceschool.

In addition to the basic orientation and the structure of the exchange and research programme first contents concerning dance games for kids, youths and adults were discussed and accordingly developed further. Afterwards didactical approaches referring to teaching structures, above all for kids and the preparation for powermoves, such as headspin, followed.

In the dance class of Uncle Willi in the afternoon some dance games could be tried out with his pupils. Later Artur gave a workshop for pupils of the FRK and other dancers from this region. This way in addition to the known faces such as Guti, Stifler and Fifty dancers Ghostface or Jonny Legacy from the PTC were present there, too.

This day was a great enrichment for everybody taking part. There are already further plans and ideas for the future. You can look forward to the things happening. One thing is definitely for sure - it's gonna be even more exciting when other teachers and coaches from Germany, Austria, Switzerland and other European countries join this exchange programme and introduce their approaches and ideas.