The Effect of Contemporary Dance Toward Apprehension of Speaking in Front of Public for Teenagers (Experimental study in SMP Negeri 34 Semarang)

Abstract

Communication is the way to overcome apprehension along with the pressure. Communication apprehension generallyy faced by teenagers is apprehension to speak in front of public. Non-verbal communication has higher social meaning about 70% (Birdwhistel, 2005, h.288), so that it can be used as intervention form to over come anxiety; it is through kinesthetic message or body movement (Grabner, 1999, h.23) . This research is aimed to evaluate the effects of contemporary dance to reduce the rate of apprehension to speak in front of public faced by teenagers. This research was done to eighteen students having characteristics of twelve and fourteen year old teenagers (first teenage), females, having no experience in contemporary dance media before, having apprehension to speak in front of public with high and extra high category. Students were divided into two groups, they were experiment group and control one. Hypothesis analyzed by the writer: there were apprehension differences of speaking in front of public both in experiment and control group after treatment. This research used non-randomized Pretest-posttest Control Group design. The treatment given to experiment group by using contemporary dance media was held in three times. Data collecting was acted by using some methods, they were observation, interview, screening the Personal Report of Public Speking Anxiety (PRPSA), the scale of apprehension in speaking in front of public, daily development notes, and documentation. The results of hypothesis test with parametik technique Independent Sample T-Test produced score p (0,039) <(0,05). It showed that there were significant score differences of speaking in front of public between experiment and control group after treatment. Art media, in this case contemporary dance, can be applied as one of effect in reducing apprehension of speaking in front of public for teenager. Keywords: contemporary dance, apprehension to speak in front of public, female teenagers.