Ocean Duran's Choreographic Pedagogy

The sources provide insights into a choreographer's teaching methods, particularly within the context of "OceansOntology," which explores the spiritual nature of being [1, 2]. The choreographer, Ocean Duran, uses their experience to connect movement, sound, and spiritual concepts [1, 3, 4]. Here’s a breakdown of their approach:

• Observation as a Basis for Teaching: The choreographer's teaching style is rooted in their "ability to 'observe' and THEN teach" [3]. This suggests a method that prioritizes understanding before instruction, which is important in any teaching [3].
• Documenting and Clarifying: The choreographer documents their teaching concepts, which they use to clarify societal views related to dance. This documentation serves as the basis for what they know of "TRUE FAITH" [5].
• "Lines of Truth" and Genesis: The choreographer connects their teaching to the first chapter of Genesis, identifying 31 scriptures that align with their teaching concepts, calling them "The Lines of Truth" [5, 6]. This approach combines spiritual insights with practical teaching methods [5, 6].
• "OceansOntology": This study is described as "the study of conceptions of reality and the Spiritual nature of 'being'" [1]. The choreographer uses it to explore the spiritual aspects of movement and creativity, and this is a lens through which they teach [1, 3].
• "Sound" Doctrine and "Muse-ical Mapping": The choreographer employs a "Sound" Doctrine and "Muse-ical Mapping" to connect sound, music, and scripture [7]. The "Sound" Doctrine mirrors how music speaks to our spirit, and "Muse-ical Mapping" provides a visual structure to the melodic words and phrases within scriptures [7, 8]. These tools help to express how communication can vary by intent [9].
• Music Composition as a Metaphor: The process of music composition is compared to the choreographer's creative process [10, 11]. They describe how a writer's emotion and thoughts lead to musical composition, which is then interpreted by artists and experienced by fans. This mirrors how movement and dance are created and perceived [10, 11]. This provides a foundation to conceptualize a "perception", designed by the science world with logic by comparison's for its reasoning [12].
• Melody as a Core Element: In the choreographer's work, melody is seen as a central element that provides the "idea" or "hook" that makes something memorable [13-15]. Melody is a series of individual pitches that creates a recognizable unit that can stand by itself, separate from harmonics and is the horizontal aspect of music [13, 15]. This concept is extended to teaching, where a clear, memorable message or idea is important [14].
• Concept of Perception: The choreographer's teaching emphasizes the understanding of perception and views through contrast and comparison [16]. They use their life experiences and creative outlets to explore how the concept of art imitating life can expose the "muse" for creating art [16].
• Knowledge and Strength: Knowledge is best used when one has the strength to follow through [17, 18]. Knowledge without strength can falter the spirit. Therefore, strength comes through the proper teachings [17, 18]. In summary , the choreographer's teaching style combines practical dance instruction with a spiritual and philosophical framework. By using elements of music theory, scripture, and personal experience, they offer a unique perspective on movement and its connection to the deeper aspects of human existence [7, 8, 11]. The choreographer’s approach highlights the importance of observation, documentation, and a connection to something deeper than the physical act of dance [3, 5, 6, 9].