As a graduate student, a dance teacher, and a professional dancer, I have seen how dance students, regardless of age or experience, remember sequences of movements in a collective and collaborative way in the dance program, North Carolina Arts in Action. They memorize steps by practicing with their peers, and by watching others perform the movement. The interpretive aspect of dance can encourage individuals to bring one's own background and history into the classroom. The reason for this is that the elements of dance are so broad that everyone can utilize something they know and apply it to dance. If this collective remembering of steps and this shared wealth of knowledge that happens in a dance class could be utilized in an academic class, this might create greater understanding amongst students
