Functional Awareness® & Dance Summer Study at Towson University

FA®Summer Study for Dance Educators integrates the principles of Functional Awareness® Anatomy in Action & FA® somatics with the study of yoga and dance techniques.

 

“Thank you so much for all your insight over the past year. Your program significantly enhanced the quality of education that I was able to present to my students in a challenging time and had a huge influence on my own personal practice. I look forward to seeing you again in the future.”
–Laura Halm, Department Head, Baltimore School for the Arts

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Functional Awareness  4-day Summer Study
August 4 – August 7, 2025

Functional Awareness Summer Study Course Outcomes 

  • Learn/review anatomical landmarks in the human body and principles of motor learning
  • Embody the Functional Awareness  Somatic and Reflective Practice of 4Rs
  • Explore Anatomical Visualizations to Improve Dance Skill
  • Learn about current research in motor learning and integrative anatomy.
  • Investigate the FA Approach to Core Support for Dynamic Alignment
  • Discover the Relationship of Fascia to Dynamic alignment and Muscular Resilience
  • Practice a pedagogical approach to honor individual differences in student learning through student-centered processes and equity-informed alignment cueing

Sample Outline of Each Day

9:30am –10:30am Optional movement warm up

10:30am – 12:30pm Functional Awareness® practice & application

12:30pm – 1:30pm Lunch break

1:30pm – 3:00 pm Functional Awareness® practice & application

3:00 –4:00 pm – Applied practice in dance training: optional technique class

Overall Learning goals

Participants will:

  • Improve fluency in functional anatomy as applied to dance training
  • Honor individual differences to promote inclusive learning
  • Develop skills to enhance movement potential for all who choose to dance
  • Investigate and embody Functional Awareness® approaches to improve skill and develop conscious practices in self-care
  • Practice verbal, tactile, & visual cues to enhance efficacy in action
  • Integrate practical applications in functional anatomy and somatic practice to support inclusive learning and diverse perspectives in dance

Sample Curriculum

Day 1 Morning Session:
Introduction to Functional Awareness

  • Learn/review names of bones and skeletal features of the spine
  • Embody the Functional Awareness Reflective Practice of 4Rs
  • Explore 2 FA Anatomical Visualizations to Improve Skill
  • Investigate Neurocognitive Strategies to Facilitate Change in Action
  • Discover the Relationship of Fascia to Dynamic Alignment and Resilience in Action
  • Learn about Contemporary Research in Motor Learning and Integrative Anatomy.
  • Practice a Pedagogical Approach to Honor Individual Differences in Student Learning through student-centered Processes and Equity-informed Alignment Cueing

Day 1 Afternoon Session:
Introduction to the FA Approach to Mental Training & Systems of Balance

  • Identify 7 systems that support balance and motor learning
  • Embody the Functional Awareness Reflective Practice of 4Rs
  • Explore the vestibular and visual systems and their role in balance and action
  • Investigate the role of proprioception in balance and motor learning
  • Discover the relationship of tactile learning to support balance & dynamic alignment
  • Learn about current research in body systems to support motor learning
  • Investigate psycho-emotional factors that affect balance
  • Practice a pedagogical approach to integrate psycho-emotional mental training into the dance classroom.

Day 2 Morning Session:
Spinal Stability & Expressivity

  • Examine spinal features and the factors that affect stability and expressivity
  • Move through actions of primary and secondary curves & spinal rotation to improve spinal action for any form of dance or population of movers.
  • Practice FA anatomical visualizations to improve spinal stability
  • Learn about current research integrative anatomy to afford greater access to spinal expressivity
  • Investigate personal patterns in spinal actions explore practical student-centered activities to facilitate awareness and potential for discovering movement potential.

Day 2 Afternoon Session:
Core Support & Breath

  • Learn the FA approach to core support and global postural control
  • Identify the muscular support for core strength
  • Explore the role of the breathing mechanism
  • Learn about current research in integrative anatomy around breath fasciae and core
  • Investigate movement sequences to embody the FA concepts of core & breath
  • Practice a pedagogical approach to integrate mental training into the dance classroom

Day 3 Morning Session:
Tips for Hips, Pelvis, And Low Back

  • Identify the skeletal considerations and differences of the pelvis and hip joint
  • Learn the structural differences in humans and a practice to honor difference
  • Discover movement potential & factors contributing to range of motion in the hip joint.
  • Practice tactile, visual, and auditory cueing strategies to access neutral pelvic alignment through the FA approach to global postural control.
  • Learn assessment and feedback language to honor individual differences in skeletal constructs to help students achieve their movement potential through efficient action

DAY 3 Afternoon Session:
The knee  and Ligament Laxity/Hypermobility

  • Identify the skeletal considerations of the knee joint
  • Learn the structural differences in humans and a practice to honor difference to move towards the desired aesthetic in any specific dance form
  • Discover factors contributing to range of motion in the knee
  • Practice tactile, visual, and auditory cueing strategies to access integrity of the knee in action
  • Learn assessment and feedback language to honor individual differences in skeletomuscular constructs to support students to achieve their movement potential through efficient action
  • Learn current research on hypermobility and strategies for working with hypermobile dance

DAY 4 Morning Session:
The Ankle and Foot

  • Practice cueing strategies to support and honor individual difference in skeletal constructs to support standing. walking, running, and other locomotor actions.
  • Practice anatomical visualizations and movement strategies for optimal mobilization and stabilization of the joints of the foot and lower leg in dance training.
  • Investigate personal patterns/habits in foot and leg action and employ methods to invite greater movement potential and efficiency in action.
  • Learn self-care practices to enhance stability and expression in the foot and ankle
  • Develop Practices for self-care and dancer wellness

Day 4 Afternoon Session:
Contemporary Topics in Dance Training and Motor Learning

Sample Topic: Types of Stretch and When to Use Them

Day 5 Morning Session: (Learning day ends at 1 PM)
Expressivity and Stability of Arms

  • Examine skeletal and muscular considerations to support the shoulder joint and arm
  • Explore embodied movement practices to enhance understanding of the arm in action
  • Learn of movement science research on the relationship of the axial to appendicular skeleton
  • Investigate the glenohumeral scapula rhythm and discern shoulder action from scapular action
  • Practice tactile, visual, & auditory cueing to access axial integrity with appendicular expressivity
  • Integrate cueing strategies to support and honor individual difference in muscular-skeletal constructs when training others to discover fullest movement potential while dancing
  • Develop Practices for self-care and dancer wellness