Dance teacher Lenneke Gentle: 'Dance is seen too much as a performing art.'

'What is the relevance of dance?' Since the conference The Relevance of Dance in March 2016, this question stuck around in my head. That weekend, the main discussion was about the relevance of dance as a performing art to watch. An approach that left me unsatisfied, because I myself want to know above all about the relevance of dance as an activity: 'Why should more people dance?' I decide to put the question to inspiring and progressive dance entrepreneurs within my network.

Lenneke Gentle, initiator of Dance Inspiration and the Facebook groups and conference of the same name, is the first one I interview. Two years ago this month, she started the Facebook group Dancepiration: professional group where dance teachers share knowledge. She is currently busy preparing for yet another second Dance Inspiration Conference Learning = Transforming a day where dance teachers from the Netherlands can meet and learn from each other about new developments in the field of dance education. On a beautiful late summer afternoon, we met in Woerden to brainstorm together over a cappuccino (for Lenneke) and a fresh juice (for me) on the relevance of dance as movement...

Lenneke Gentle, what does dance mean to you?

'When I was 11, I saw the film Anna and then I immediately knew, "Ballet, that's it! That's what I want to do." I was extremely introverted, shy and totally lacked self-confidence, but since that first ballet class, I know that I can become a better person by dancing. Dance brings you closer to yourself and at the same time takes you out of yourself. In ballet class I felt like I was coming home, it made me more confident.'

What does someone learning to dance learn?

'When you learn to dance, you get to know your own body, your own personal limits. You learn to move yourself to the music and let the experience come out in the process. This is also what I teach children when they come to dance with me.

Another thing I see in the children I teach (Gentle helps toddlers and pre-schoolers learn language and maths through dance at Studio Swing, ed.) is that dance is so social and so much fun that it makes them feel completely alive. Theoretically: when you dance, your blood flows faster, the happiness hormone is released, the brain opens up - because it's fun. Children learn faster while dancing than when the material is just presented sitting down in class.'

Why should more people dance?

'Dance is often seen as an art form or a sport, but besides that, dance can do a lot for the broad development of children and adults. That experience ofs dance with others and that music, yes, it remains something magical. In people's lives, dance can play a very big role for general well-being. That's why I also think dance as a tool can still mean an awful lot in society, but also in business and education.'

Is that what makes it so difficult to talk about the relevance of dance? That dance is so broad and can mean so much that it is hard to make a clear statement about it?

'I think dance is seen too much as a performing art. When I went looking for myself about the value of dance as a tool in education and the importance of dance and movement for brain development, I could find almost no studies. The research I did find was mainly from the United States. People may also not want to see dance as a tool.'

'My feeling is that we as dance teachers in the Netherlands could better articulate what dance can do for people, e.g. for their self-confidence, health, relaxation and mutual acceptance and respect... then hopefully more people will start dancing!'

How can we get more people to dance?

'By working together! All we want as art teachers is that everyone in the Netherlands gets more in touch with art, including dance. I think if we keep that higher goal in mind and start opening up more to each other, we can start working together. I still find that difficult sometimes too, but I do want to have that conversation with colleagues about what we can do to achieve that goal. That is why I am organising the Dance inspiration afternoon Heel Holland Danst, working on a promotion plan for dance education in the Netherlands.'

What is the biggest obstacle to a shared vision of the value of dance?

'Many dance teachers are particularly concerned with their own lessons, but being a dance teacher encompasses so much more. What you also see within the dance world is that dance teachers are generally afraid of each other or don't give each other the light in the eyes. This does not help the dance climate in a city, of course!

I also saw this at my own studio. I was working together with 20 teachers and it was not entirely smooth sailing. It wasn't until I started focusing on common thinking that more knowledge was shared between them. That was an eye-opener for me. That by standing for what I believe in, I attract other people with the same vision. Then I set up the Facebook group Danspiratie to be able to help and relieve each other.'

Two years ago, you started the Facebook group Dancepiration: professional group where dance teachers share knowledge. Within eight months, the group had a thousand members. Now there are 1,826 with new members still joining every week. A great success. Or is it?

'This success was unexpected for me and I am immensely grateful for it. Still, I sometimes stand in the shower and think to myself, 'What am I doing? Am I convincing them of my vision? Do they really want to start seeing each other as colleagues? And why is this so important to me?"'

'In February, things went badly wrong for a while, colleagues became rude to each other and a hostile atmosphere developed in the group. Then I always try to go back to the basic feeling: respect for each other as people and colleagues. You don't always have to agree with each other, but a mature conversation always contains collegial respect. So the other day, we had a very respectful but heated discussion about what a dance teacher should be able to teach toddler dance. Then I am proud of the development we have already gone through together.'

'The road from competitor to colleague is long, but it is what is needed to get more people in touch with dance and be stronger as an industry. Initially, I saw myself standing on the barricade with a white flag, full of 'fighting spirit'. I have let that battle go. Now I just try to inspire others with my vision.'

On 20 November, UCK will host its second Dance Inspiration Conference Learning = Transforming place. How does the annual Dance Inspiration Conference help dance teachers to see each other as colleagues?

'That dance teachers will finally start really meeting each other! That in addition to attending workshops together, we will also start talking to each other. I liked it so much that last year you saw people sitting down together at lunch with people they had never seen before, but already knew from Facebook. That warm collegial bond can then develop. So this year, we are also giving the option that you can go out to dinner in the evening after the workshops to talk further.'

What do you envision for the future of Holland dance country?

'A dance climate in the Netherlands in which dance teachers dare to work together, dare to ask each other for advice and dare to share teaching materials with each other. That instead of the age-old competition there can be peace, acceptance and inspiration. And that many more people can start dancing because of that cooperation! But in order to achieve that, we first need wider support for this vision and stronger local networks (such as Dance Utrecht, ed.) are going to emerge of dance teachers supporting each other. Invite each other for a coffee. Attend each other's classes and help with performances. Refer students to each other. Learn from each other! Then we will also have time to develop as a profession.