Dance Integration

Karen Kaufmann, MA, is a professor of dance and the head of the dance program at the University of Montana. With more than 35 years in dance education, she has published journal articles and a text for classroom teachers; spearheaded a model program that laid the groundwork for this book; and prepared dance teachers, classroom teachers, and future teachers to use dance and creative movement in their classrooms. Kaufmann directs the CoMotion Dance Project, which promotes dance in K-12 classrooms, tours school performances, offers professional development for classroom teachers, and establishes service learning opportunities. She is also director of the Creative Pulse, a summer graduate program for teachers in the arts and education. Kaufmann has received numerous awards over the years, including the Artist Innovation Award from the Montana Arts Council, the Distinguished Faculty Award from the University of Montana, and the Artist/Scholar Award from the National Dance Association. Kaufmann serves as a fire lookout in the mountains of Idaho. She also enjoys whitewater canoeing and backcountry skiing. Jordan Dehline, BFA, is a dance teaching artist for the CoMotion Dance Project and an adjunct instructor at the School of Theatre and Dance at the University of Montana. She has been teaching dance integrated into elementary school curriculums since 2008. Dehline has taught numerous current and future classroom and dance teachers and collaborated with dozens of classroom teachers to identify learning targets in mathematics and science. She has also created hundreds of dance integration lessons connecting to mathematics, science, social studies, and language arts. Dehline is a professional dancer with Bare Bait Dance and is a member of the National Dance Education Organization. In addition to dance integration, Dehline teaches ballet and modern dance.