Non-verbal communication development through performing art process

Abstract

The participatory action research of ‘Non-verbal communication development through performing arts learning process’ was mainly purposed to explore the performing arts learning process that is appropriate to develop the dance students’ expression of non-verbal communication. There were 5 steps involved in the research method as follows: 1) exploring communication barriers of subjects, 2) designing a performing arts learning process to tackle the subjects’ problems, 3) applying the learning process in the class, 4) data collection, and 5) data analysis and discussion.

The findings indicated that the subjects’ main barrier was that they were too much attached to the dance techniques; so they could not either naturally express or convey their emotion and feelings inside through their body movement. Moreover, an appropriate approach to tackle with the problems - to develop the dance students’ skills of nonverbal communication, comprised the three following principles and : 1) Laban Movement Technique 2) Physical Theater Principle, and 3) Image Theater Technique. The three principles and techniques would help the dancers to learn to be an effective storyteller; using their imagination to create the story outline, making sense with the story, conveying their thoughts, emotions and feelings through their body movement to communicate the story to the audience.