Dance Students Take Part in Global Celebration of Dance Education Laboratory’s 30th Anniversary

On Wednesday, September 20, students in Kristen Bell’s freshman dance class joined a worldwide celebration of the Dance Education Laboratory (DEL) by creating a Movement Sentence Choir (MSC), a collaborative project that blends improvisation, composition, and community.

This year marks DEL’s 30th anniversary, and to honor the milestone, the organization is spearheading the creation of 30 MSCs across the globe. Montclair State University was invited to participated by DEL founder Jody Arnhold and the DEL Team, joining an international network of dancers and educators marking this special occasion.

The session was facilitated with the support of students Vicky Batista and Caitlyn Scott, both Arnhold Summer Fellows, along with adjunct faculty member Susan Pope, a specialist in dance education. Live accompaniment on drums and piano was provided by musician Glen Fittin.

A DEL Movement Sentence Choir combines two powerful ideas: Rudolf Laban’s iconic movement choirs, which are large groups moving together in harmony, with DEL’s ‘movement sentences,’ which are short phrases built from two or more action words. For Bell’s clas, the guiding words were:

“Weave. Spin. Expand.”

-Facilitators of the Dance Education Laboratory creating a Movement Sentence Choir

After warming up and engaging in improvisational exercises that encouraged connection and awareness, students developed their own movement sentences. They then learned a choreographed phrase by Caitlyn Scott, before collaborating in small groups to create additional phrases. These sections were woven together into a complete MSC, performed collectively by the end of class.

The culminating moment featured all dancers joined in a static, connected shape, as a visual representation of unity and artistry.

DEL, known for its transformative teacher training programs, emphasizes the artistry of teaching while centering equity and justice in dance education. Each participant in the event received a t-shirt with the message “Dance for Every Child” – a reminder of DEL’s mission and vision.

This class highlighted the creative journey from improvisation to composition, as students moved from spontaneous exploration to the shared act of building and performing a finished piece.