Using music & dance: to teach & entertain

Ebony, Sept, 2004 by Nikitta A. Foston

When 4-year-old Haley climbs into the car at in her mom's minivan, she doesn't ask for a toy, a doll--or even a snack. She begs for music.

Like 4-year-old Haley, millions of children, teenagers, even toddlers, are exposed to, intrigued by and delighted with the infectious sound of music, and child development experts say parents should channel that fascination to further their children's creative abilities.

"Parents should start early by enrolling their children in music classes and exposing them to different musical instruments," says Dr. Samuel Floyd, director emeritus of the Center for Black Music Research at Chicago's Columbia College. Dr. Floyd, and others, point out that although music is everywhere--in the elevator, in the mall, in restaurants--children, especially Black children, don't have the same relationships to musical instruments as children of past generations. "In the old days," he says, "Black children picked up a trumpet, a saxophone or a trombone, or an instrument was put into their hands. That doesn't happen anymore," he adds. "I've seen whole bands at Black high schools performing without instruments or with only a few instruments. We are witnessing a major tragedy right before our eyes, the tragedy of an entire generation cut off from the roots of its tradition."

In addition to introducing musical instruments, exposure to different genres of music, including classical European music and classical jazz, may cultivate a greater understanding of culture while enhancing comprehension skills. A 1993 study published in the scientific magazine, Nature, indicated a possible correlation between listening to Mozart and student performance.

"Music--all kinds of music--seems to connect with kids right away," Barbara Bowman told EBONY magazine in 1999. Bowman, president of the Erikson Institute for Advanced Study in Child Development in Chicago, said, "Complex musical arrangements are better because they give children a greater sensory challenge. People always correlate classical music with intellectual development, but the issue isn't classical--it's complex music. Duke Ellington is probably just as good as Mozart."

Regardless of the type of music--classical jazz, folk music, or contemporary--the music should be pleasant, not loud or shocking. "Anybody can make noise, but making music is different," says Grammy Award-winning children's folk singer Ella Jenkins. "I would start with simple songs because kids like simplicity. Then, after you've mastered the simple, you can move on to the more intricate," says Jenkins, who has released more than 30 albums, including Call and Response: Rhythmic GroupSinging. "Songs like 'Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star' and Cab Calloway's 'Hi-De-Hi-De-Ho,' are great for young kids because they build upon repetition. I call it the 'call and response' technique. You stimulate kids to listen and then see if they can repeat what they hear. If you teach them long enough, most kids will start making up their own stories and their own songs. This is a building block for creativity."

Like music, the art of dance can strengthen and enhance a child's artistic expression and understanding of rhythm, movement and how the body interacts with sound. At an early age, motion--dancing even--comes naturally to children who start mimicking movements, especially the movements of family members. Professional dancers and music teachers say children should be enrolled in dance and music classes early in their childhood.

Jenkins says parents should start with simple movements. "When kids learn to walk hop, jump, skip, snap their fingers and tap their toes,

they learn the rhythm of their own bodices--first. Children can be molded very quickly, so it's important to shake hands with your children, smile at them, and laugh with them, stimulating all their senses and making them more aware of themselves."

No matter what form of music you choose, parental discretion is a must. Maintaining an awareness of what your kids are listening to and what artists have their attention helps keep the door of communication open and the creative juices flowing.

So educate your children musically. Take them to concerts, performances and listen with them as they absorb the sounds of hip-hop, gospel, classical European, classical jazz and Aretha. Educate yourself as well as your children and take an active interest in what intrigues them. A singing, dancing parent who understands the educational value of music and dance is a good parent.