Yuko Hatano
Kobe Shinwa Women’s University
Yuko Hatano is a professor at Kobe Shinwa Women’s University in Japan. She teaches dance and expressive movement for students preparing to be teachers. She received a MA degree from Nara Women's University in Japan. She was a visiting scholar in the Dance Department at UCLA during 1992-93. She performed at the Ethiopian National Theater during Japan Week in 1999. She is a member of the Japanese Society for Dance Research, and Japanese Olympic Academy.
In Japan, despite the rapid expansion of educational opportunities for dance, most students seem to have technical difficulties in maintaining a balance between tenseness and relaxation of their muscles during a dance... [ view full abstract ]
In Japan, despite the rapid expansion of educational opportunities for dance, most students seem to have technical difficulties in maintaining a balance between tenseness and relaxation of their muscles during a dance performance. In past research, the authors examined the effectiveness of Noguchi Taiso, a teaching method for physical education emphasizing relaxation. This methodology was used to explore teaching dance during a master class for female university students. However, this was a one time experience and participants were few. Therefore, in the following study, students were given more opportunities to experience this method and were asked to recognize more visceral and emotional responses in their body and provide a synopsis of their experience, to examine the effectiveness of Noguchi Taiso.
The study examined ethnographic aspects, of teaching Noguchi Taiso, taught by one of its successors. By examining the reaction papers of the 39 students involved and using free software, KH Corder allows the researcher quantitative analysis of the students’ free description responses of their experience of the reaction papers.This text mining analysis allows a way to discover knowledge from text data.
The concepts of the movements of Noguchi Taiso are characterized as the most economical way to move, and efficient use of body weight. The students’ reflections showed a high rate of appearance of the following words.These were “Movement”, “Oneself”, “Massage”, “Impression”, “Feeling”, “Power”, and “Body”.
“Relax” and “Running Water” are key concepts of Noguchi Taiso. It is interesting to note some excerpts of a students’ opinion were as follows: “Focusing on my inner body was the first time for me.” “I felt that my body was full of “running water”.” These insights show the students understood how to use their bodies to generate relaxation and to use the Noguchi Taiso concepts, in ways different from their usual techniques. JSPS17K04898
• Transformative learning and teaching in physical education and sports pedagogy , • Innovative perspectives on physical education, physical activity, health and wellbeing a
