‘Tuning in’
The aim of ‘tuning in’ as a dance pedagogical practice is to cultivate attention and presence in the space and moment, while directing focus toward the body and its sensations (see, e.g., Kauppila 2012). The dance pedagogical practice of tuning in can be fostered in various ways, such as by gently awakening the body through breath awareness, attunement to inner sensations, or tactile exploration. I next invite the reader to engage their bodily awareness through a brief ‘tuning in’ exercise, which may be followed either in audio form to support sustained focus on the practice or via a written transcript below.
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Find a comfortable position. Rest your hands on your body. Listen to your breathing and how it resonates in and through your hands. Whenever you like, change the position of your hands, either one at a time or both together. Do you notice how this shift transforms your sensations? Shift your hands as many times as you like. Placing, listening, breathing, and changing again. Finally, let your hands rest on your lap. For a moment, listen to how your body contacts its surroundings. Consider how your weight rests on the surfaces supporting you. Notice how the air flows in and out. Finally, bring your attention back to this moment.
Building on the practice of tuning in, my aim in this section is to tune the reader into the concept of intra-active pedagogy in the context of improvisation-based early childhood dance education. I begin by elaborating on my understanding of the theoretical foundations of intra-active pedagogy in relational ontology and assemblage thinking. I explore how this perspective reconfigures prevailing understandings of children and childhood, presenting the notion of the relational child. Finally, I discuss early childhood dance education focusing on improvisation-based dancing as a relational practice.