The Arrillaga Gym:
One of my favorite learning spaces on campus is the Arrillaga gym. In some ways this space is probably not seen as a traditional learning space but I believe that much learning goes on there. For this post specifically I discuss how the basketball gym is a good learning space for a Hip Hop dance class. First, the space is well lit and well ventilated. The fact that it is well ventilated is crucial because dance is an active kind of learning and it is important that students have plenty of oxygen. If you have ever tried to dance in a place that did not have sufficient oxygen you know what I am talking about. The fact that the space is well lit may seem counter-productive to some. In general, dance floors tend to be dark which helps people feel more comfortable to express themselves through movement. However, in the case of a class it is important that everyone be able to see one another and the teacher so they can learn by watching.
The Basketball courts at the Arrillaga gym are quite spacious. This supports learning in a number of ways. First, it allows the students the space they need to try different moves. Second, and perhaps more importantly, it helps students learn how to fill a large space. Filling a large space with confidence takes a certain degree of comfort in ones body. Dance requires a similar kind of comfort. I have noticed that at the beginning of class students are often shy to fill up the space and huddle together in the center of the room. As the class progresses, and students start to feel more confident they begin spread out around the room in order to have more room to dance. They begin to take the risk of standing out in order to better learn to dance. The risk of standing out often inhibits students from expressing themselves through dance. However, in hip hop dance especially, defining and expressing your individuality is a crucial step in learning how to dance.
Having this large open space is also useful because the instructor is able to move the students around. For example, he can bring everyone into the center to talk, he can split them into groups and have some dance while others watch, or he can ask them to spread out around the room. If there were immovable objects in the space this would be much more difficult.
The space also provides some important support facilities such as bathrooms and drinking fountains to keep students happy and comfortable. Meeting students’ basic needs should not be overlooked in designing a space because if these needs are not met students will be distracted and have difficulty learning.
Although I think that the Arrillaga gym is a good learning space, there are a couple of changes that I would make if I were going to design it specifically for a dance. First, I would add mirrors. In some ways mirrors can inhibit new students because they are embarrassed to see themselves dance. However, in the long-term students learn a lot from watching themselves and other dance and I believe that it would help students refine their dancing style.
The second change I would make has to do with the acoustics of the space. Right now the space echoes quite a bit and there are often people playing basketball on the other side of the partition that breaks up the basketball court. This means that when the teacher stops the music and tries to explain specific moves it can be quite difficult to understand him because the ambient noise drowns out his voice.
Overall I think that the Arrillaga gym provides a great space for learning how to dance. Students have the freedom learn to express themselves through movement. They also have the chance to learn how to stand out in a safe environment.
Bobby: I think the specificity of the learning space may be more important than we think. Clearly the space has been designed originally for playing basketball without any specific intentions toward using it as a dance space. With that in mind, it seems that people in the dance class are much more aware of the fact that the space is not specifically meant for them, which may make them slightly less excited about dance. Perhaps they feel less safe to be creative and expressive.
Consider the difference between the awe and inspiration derived from learning to dance in a specific dance studio versus the feeling of compromise derived from learning in a basketball gym...especially with others playing basketball while you are dancing. I wonder what kind of improvements could be made to make this multi-use space feel more specific to dance. Ultimately this might make the dancers feel a bit more "special" and "safe" and more open to full artistic/creative expression.
Dan Gilbert: Great post and great reaction. I love how that building 'feels' and the affordances of a large space (nice to be at Stanford that can afford to keep such a large space lit, climate controlled, and staffed). I think that inthis space there might be opportunities ffor many little things that might make the space even more useful for supporting multiple activities simultaneously. One change might be simply changing the scheduling procedure. Or closing the center court when the dance class is on one side, so that basketball could still happen but only on the opposite end of the gym, might make a difference. Another opportunity might be bringing in portable mirrors of some kind for the dance class.
Karin Chapin - I like your exploration on the impact of an audience at different points in learning to dance. What is appropriate for a more advanced student can be intimidating to a newbie. But without the feedback, it would be difficult to advance to high levels. As for Bobby's point about being in a space not meant for them, it would be interesting to research that more closely. I can imagine feeling marginalized and thus "less excited about dance," but I can also imagine the opposite--a feeling of power from taking over a space and making it serve your own purposes. One of the wonderful things about dance is that it is the action that defines the space, and not the other way around.
Nikki Bonsol: Karin, I like what you said about the dance defining the space and not the other way around. All you need is an open space and no sharp edges and you can dance away! However, in the context of learning dance, I really think Co is right in saying that mirrors would be helpful. Feedback is really important in learning, and anything the space can do to facilitate a teacher's (or a learning community's) ability to give constructive feedback is great.
Detavio Samuels Co, great learning space. I definitely like your unusual choice. Not only did you choose a basketball court but you also chose learners that are not usually associated with that space. One interesting point is that as a space for dancers you value the bright, well lit court; however, as a basketball player I have often heard complaints about the amount of sun that invades the court and blinds players vision during the day. Interestingly enough, this may suggest that the space was better designed for dancers than players in this regard.
Karin, I also enjoyed your comment about how the space is defined!