Bob Oates has been a dance instructor and physical educator for eleventy-seven years and although retired from the public schools, continues to do adjunct instruction at Sage College of Albany teaching Dance and Rhythms and workshops for students/staff in PE and Music. He has taught at all levels, pre-school to college and even adults his own age and older (which is old!). He teaches Ballroom, Folk and Jazz dance and has choreographed 12 musicals for Guilderland High School (NY).
In the early 1980's, he developed a PE curriculum that emphasized movement components rather than sports, e.g. - agility, balance, hand-eye coordination, reaction time, timing, foot-eye coordination, strength/power/leverage, directionality and RHYTHM. During a unit on rhythm, he would do a dance, jump rope, use ping pong paddles/balls, dribble basketballs, etc. This demonstrated to students that rhythm was an integral part of all movements and that developing a "whole body rhythm" made someone a "smooth mover", someone who appears to glide/float when they move.
This website compliments his work in workshops providing music and instructions to the dances we learn. If you are interested in planning a workshop for your students or staff please see the contact information on this site.
In the early 1980's, he developed a PE curriculum that emphasized movement components rather than sports, e.g. - agility, balance, hand-eye coordination, reaction time, timing, foot-eye coordination, strength/power/leverage, directionality and RHYTHM. During a unit on rhythm, he would do a dance, jump rope, use ping pong paddles/balls, dribble basketballs, etc. This demonstrated to students that rhythm was an integral part of all movements and that developing a "whole body rhythm" made someone a "smooth mover", someone who appears to glide/float when they move.
This website compliments his work in workshops providing music and instructions to the dances we learn. If you are interested in planning a workshop for your students or staff please see the contact information on this site.