Ask the Experts: Best Way to Use Video for Feedback
November 1, 2014

Q: I’d like to use video to give feedback to my students. What’s the best way to do this?

A: Take advantage of the ease of video sharing: You can save class time by adding your comments to a rehearsal video and then sharing that version with your dancers.

You can do this by importing video into software like iMovie, adding your comments and then uploading the new version of the video, but that can be time-intensive. I recently discovered Acclaim, a video platform specifically designed for education purposes, which streamlines the entire feedback process.

Acclaim allows you to take video—either from the web or from video that you record using your webcam within the program—and add your comments to it. You can create folders for classes or even individual dancers, and then your students can access the annotated video. Your comments show up alongside the video, thanks to a time stamp that links your feedback to the moment in the video you’re talking about. Dancers can even reply to your comments, creating a conversation. Acclaim charges per student per semester. Pricing is flexible; you can tailor the package to fit your institution’s needs. If you need a lower-budget option, you can add your voice and comments to a video with screen-casting software like eduCanon or Screencast-O-Matic, and then share those videos via YouTube or Dropbox.

Barry Blumenfeld teaches at the Friends Seminary in New York City. He is an adjunct professor at New York University and on faculty at the Dance Education Laboratory of the 92nd Street Y.

Photo courtesy of Barry Blumenfeld

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