Magical Kingdom of Dance
Dressed in pink and purple tutus, their hair done up in twists or ponytails, the 5 year olds have already learned there will be no hanging on bars, touching mirrors or messing with each other.
“There’s only one rule in Miss Tonie’s dance classes and that is to stay in your house unless you’re asked to step out,” said Tonie Bense, owner of Tonie’s Dance Studio.
The “house” the students must not leave unless directed is at the center of each Alphamat, designed to teach the fundamental directions on a stage. The colorful, vinyl mats are also integral to the MKOD method of teaching dance, which Bense began using 37 years ago when she opened her first dance studio in Panama City. All the credit for the innovative and creative development of MKOD goes to her mother, the late Mary Alpha Johnson, who was a professional dancer and dance teacher for 67 years.
Bense describes MKOD as a comprehensive method used by dance teachers to help budding ballerinas learn the classical French terms for foot placement and arm positions. By taking steps around the “house” – forward or back, left or right – students learn the correct placement for their feet and arms. If done correctly their bodies and hips should stay in perfect alignment. It also helps to promote good posture.
Using the MKOD not only makes learning dance fun, but simplifies what are often difficult concepts for young children to comprehend. They learn through the use of colorfully-illustrated characters with French names such as “Plié,” the cricket or “Pas de Chat,” the cat, without realizing they are learning another language.
Other colorfully designed MKOD products can help as well. For instance, Righty Red and Lefty Blue characters indicate which foot or arm to move or which way to turn. As their names imply, red indicates right, blue indicates left. Red and blue arm bracelets and ankle wraps are available for purchase. When worn correctly they help the children remember what and how they need to move, Bense said.
All the teachers at Tonie’s Dance Studios use the Alphamats and MKOD as the main tool for instructing their younger students, some as young as 3.
Sam Tuno, a former student of Bense and now a teacher herself, said she can see a difference in how fast students can learn what they need to know, especially the French terminology.
“The Alphamat is a wonderful tool,” she said. “I believe that learning the mat makes a difference for the students. As a teacher, I absolutely love the mats.”
Whether the mats are used for organizational purposes or technical reasons, she sees them as an “essential tool” for the classroom.
“While I mainly use the mats for my younger classes, I have used the mat with my older students to work with hip placement,” Tuno said. “The most amazing thing about the Alphamat is that even when I take it away, I can still refer to it and the students know what to do.” For Bense it’s all a matter of ensuring that her mother’s dream does not die.
“I could have chosen not to pursue this product but I could not let my mother’s life work be forgotten,” Bense said. “Her dream was to see the teaching method available to all dance teachers and their students.”
By Diane Mercado, Photography by: Savannah Jane Photography