Well, duh. In some styles of dance, of course, boys & girls, men & women learn the same moves — contemporary, modern, tap. But in most cultures, as well as ballet & jazz, boys & girls, men & women have distinctly different styles.
Coming from a modern background, when I first started teaching in the public school setting, I had the kids work in mixed-gender groups. Almost every time, the mixed gender groups would split into two single-gender groups & create complementary [or sometimes just simultaneous] choreography. Over the years I’ve gravitated toward having the intermediate kids (4th & 5th grade) self-select their groups — and, with a few exceptions, they self-select single-gender groups.
Recently, my 2nd graders performed a series of partner dances, and their teacher paired them for performance. She put Charlize & Jacob together, and their reflections remind me once again that boys & girls dance differently! Neither the audience nor I were aware of this little drama during the performance…
Note to self, a reminder: Boys & girls who choose to dance together do a great job, but don’t force it!
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