Emily Kleinkopf

April 29th, 2015

E-portfolio 1.2

Incorporating gospel Principles into Dance

One of the reasons why I came to Brigham Young University was for
the incorporation of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints gospel
into everyday curriculum. The Department of Dance has done an excellent
job upholding the Churchs standards and keeping a special spirit in their
classrooms. Through the five years I have been at Brigham Young University I
have felt like my testimony has grown through my experiences.
One class that accomplished incorporating the gospel very well was
Kinesiology with Pam Musil. In this class not only did we focus on movement,
but we also focused on the structures of the body and the best possible way
for recuperation after injury. We also had multiple discussions about how we
need to treat our body with respect, because technically it is not ours. This
gave me a deep appreciation for the complexity of the body that my
Heavenly Father gave me.
Another class that did an excellent job with incorporating gospel
principles into the subject material was Principles of Somatics. In this class
Kate Monson did a good job about how it is so important to move in the most
effective way possible. When we choose to take care of our bodies by moving
efficiently, we are in a way saying thank you to our Heavenly Father for
giving us these bodies.
One other course that I really enjoyed was Dance and Identity with
Graham Brown. This class was solely a lecture course. Graham did a very
good job instigating discussion with the class about controversial subjects

Emily Kleinkopf
April 29th, 2015
E-portfolio 1.2

that relate to dance and the gospel. I feel like a lot of teachers shy away from
talking about the hard stuff. Graham did it in a very non-threating way
where you could have a full understanding, feel the spirit, and learn a lot
more about yourself. If there was one class I would recommend to upcoming
dance majors it would be this class.
In general dance teachers at BYU are good at keeping the spirit in their
classroom with positive encouragement, good music, and continual interest
in their students. Throughout my dance college courses many teachers
started out the class with prayer or devotional. I really think this is a great
way to bring the spirit into the classroom. When learning dances you cannot
always be talking about gospel principles, but you can still have that
awesome feeling of learning and doing the right thing.
I have also had the wonderful opportunity of being a part of the
International Folk Dane Ensemble. There is a special spirit about learning
other countries cultural dances and then performing them around the world.
I have never felt that dance could be influential until I started touring
throughout the world and seeing the joy that people feel when they watch
and learn different types of dance. The firesides we have put on, the
activities with YSA groups, the workshops, and of course all of the many
performances have all showed me how dance, culture and the gospel can
change lives. The interaction with both member and non-member host
families was also a testimony builder of how important the gospel is in
everyday life.

Emily Kleinkopf
April 29th, 2015
E-portfolio 1.2

Overall, I think the Department of Dance has done an exceptional job

of incorporating gospel principles into their curriculum. I do not regret my
decision to be a dance major and I am extremely grateful for all of the
opportunities I have been given through the Department of Dance.