Command Style-A

Develops precision performance — reproducing a predicted response, practice or performance on cue while adhering to a set pace and rhythm.

Summary

The defining characteristic of the Command Style is to exactly reproduce and replicate an anticipated response or performance in a short period of time so that the specific Command Style objectives in subject matter and behavior can be developed. Cognitively, the Command Style emphasizes automaticity-an immediate synchronized, orchestrated performance. 

Category

Instructions for first time users
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Lamb Chop Video
In this video, notice the teacher's awareness of the structure of this T-L style supports the content…
Image of synchronized divers
Sports. Each precision performance experience has a primary objective (a reason) for selecting the Command…
Navy Blue Angels Airplanes in formation
Military/Exhibition. Why does every country select the Command Style-A when presenting its military?…
men marching in formation
Culture and Traditions. Command Style episodes preserve cultural traditions. This experience (not unlike…
dancers in formation
Performing Arts Prison's flash mob. Michel Jackson's song. The performers in this video are prisoners.…
French horn players in an orchestra
Music concerts. Music, like sports, seeks replication of a model and has a timed sequence. In music,…
men in uniform carrying a coffin
Solemn Ceremonies. Although different nations grieve for their fallen and the famous in different ways,…
group of people doing yoga in a park
Recreation. Some key factors for the association between Style -A and recreation could include any one…
skydivers in formation
Sports. The list of objectives for Style-A is not in a static or fixed order. Each episode triggers specific…
slide giving instructions
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man and woman figure skating
Sports. Neither the number of participants nor the presence of the teacher, coach or leader determines…
men on a rowing team
Sports. Synchronization and uniform pace and rhythm are critical in crew. Crew Team in Competition
several sets of rowing teams
Sports. The goal of each member is to perform with total uniformity and conformity. BOSTON - OCTOBER…
female synchronized swimmers in formation
Sports. Above or below the water, synchronized swimming is judged for its uniformity and conformity to…
girl doing rhythmic gymnastics
Sports. Gymnastics, like the performing arts, strives to exactly replicate the performance model. 12…
male gymnast on pommel horse
Sports. Gymnastics, like the performing arts, strives to exactly replicate the performance model.
female gymnast on the balance beam
Sports. gymnastics apparatus is more dangerous than others; therefore, precision performance is critical…
female gymnast doing dance routine
Sports. Subject matter that is judged for its degree of exactness to a specific or aesthetic model is…
black and white image of a row of women water skiing
Sports. The number of performers participating in some Command Style experiences makes for an impressive…
cheerleading squad preforming on basketball court
Sports. Each Style-A activity attempts to accomplish a particular set of objectives. The role of cheerleaders…
parachutes in formation
Sports. The objectives for Style-A are not in a static or fixed order. Each episode triggers a specific…
runners at the starting line
Sports. Only the starting posture and timed sequence to begin (on your mark, get set, go) represent the…
runners at the starting line
Sports. Notice the uniformity of the starting position. There is a body position expectation. Once the…
grand prix race car and pit crew
Sports. The decision configuration for the pit stop does not exactly replicate either landmark Style-A…
text on white background
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Russian ballerinas
Performing Arts. Not everyone likes all types of performing arts. The degree of appreciation, the value…
chinese dancers in formation
Performing Arts. The Command Style is appropriate for all individuals. This cultural dance was performed…
Bob Hope dancing
Performing arts. Whether the dancing routine is Cagney and Hope or the latest MTV artist, the precision…
Chinese dance troupe
Performing Arts. Art preferences – likes and dislikes – will determine the value of this and each of…
male and female dancer
Performing Arts. The precision performance in this modern dance example represents the Command Style,…
female ice skater
Performing Arts. Liking or not liking ice skating, or any of the other performing arts examples, is an…
group of synchronized figure skaters
Performing Arts. The number of participants, the presence of the teacher, coach or leader or the degree…
silhouette of male and female dancer
Performing Arts. Although many talent show contestants strive to display a "creative" performance (represented…
Russian dance troupe
Performing Arts. This is another example of talent show contestants displaying their Command Style-A…
image of thousands of dancers in a stadium
Performing Arts. In 1985 in the Czech Republic, Muska and Sara attended Spartakiada, a four-day gymnastic…
stadium of dancers
Performing Arts. In 1985 in the Czech Republic, Muska and Sara attended Spartakiada, a four-day gymnastic…
rows of dancers in a stadium
Performing Arts. In 1985 in the Czech Republic, Muska and Sara attended Spartakiada, a four-day gymnastic…
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men and women exercising
Recreation. All walks of life engage in the Command Style for different developmental purposes. Many…
mother and baby stretching
Recreation. Parents engage their children in an infinite number of recreational activities for the purpose…
children doing karate
Recreation. Some key factors for the association between Style-A and recreational activities could include…
skydivers in formation
Recreation. Recreational examples can become serious activities. Extreme sports are examples of recreational…
group class using yoga balls
Recreation. All age groups engage in the Command Style. Sustained engagement is enhanced when the experience…
women in an exercise class
Recreation. Recreational activities on an introductory level for the reserved participant need to be…
Choir performing
Music. Musical performers follow not only the pace and rhythm of the notes but also the conductor who…
choir and orchestra performing
Music. The success of the on-cue performance is the time precision – the starting time, pace and rhythm,…
marine corps marching band
Music. Marching bands require physical stamina in addition to the cognitive expectations of the on-cue…
marching band on football field
Music. College marching bands add physical expectations to the on-cue musical performance. Remembering…
white background with text
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Chinese military
Military. China's military. Group identity emphasizes the strength of the group rather than the individual.
military members marching
Military. Marching military. Group identity emphasizes the strength of the group rather than the individual.
military men marching in formation
Military. Group identity emphasizes the strength of the group rather than the individual. ATHENS,GREECE-MAR…
instructions in black text
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mexican traditional dancers
Culture and Traditions. Folk dancing with its original dancing patterns and costumes bring the past to…
Muslim men praying in Mecca
Culture and Traditions. In many religions prayer ceremonies follow an "all together" participation format.…
men worshipping in a temple
Culture and Traditions. In many religions prayer ceremonies follow an "all together" participation. The…
buddhist monks in a temple
Culture and Traditions. Most religions have ceremonies that represent precision participation. Many churches…
Rabbi reading the torah with boys
Culture and Traditions. The Rabbi assists by making the pace and rhythm (the time) decisions for the…
Inside of catholic cathedral
Culture and Traditions. Some churches have ceremonial rituals and customs that accompany their fundamental…
Indian bride on her wedding
Culture and Traditions. Many cultures have traditional wedding ceremonies that reinforce their customs…
traditional american wedding
Culture and Traditions. In some societies the wedding ceremony mixes both traditional and modern beliefs.…
solemn ceremonies
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soldiers walking beside casket on a cart
Solemn Ceremonies. Although different nations show their respect for the fallen and the famous in many…
arlington cemetery
Solemn Ceremonies. LIFE TEACHES with or without a "visible" teacher. In order to have the cemetery LOOK…
men in military formation
Solemn Ceremonies. Although different nations design different ceremonies to show their respect for the…
military officers carrying casket drapped in flag
Solemn Ceremonies. Ceremonies follow the exact protocol expectations. Silence represents reverence in…
military men in formation
Solemn Ceremonies. In most nations funeral honor guards are selected and specially trained to perfectly…
parade
Solemn Ceremonies. Each nation designs its own sequence and procedures that represent honor and respect…
closing text

The Anatomy

In the Command Style, the teacher makes the maximum number of decisions in all three sets of the Anatomy while the learner initiates the minimum number of decisions, which is the decision to participate or not to participate. The teacher’s role (T) is to make all decisions in each set of the anatomy. The learner’s role (L) is to reproduce, follow, replicate on cue the teacher’s decisions to achieve a precision performance that follows the cues and pace and rhythm decisions that has been established for replicating the content.


anatomy of style image

The Subject Matter Objectives

When the Command Style behavior is achieved, the following objectives in subject matter are emphasized*:

  • To reproduce a model by immediate performance
  • To achieve accuracy and precision of performance
  • To achieve immediate results
  • To achieve a synchronized performance
  • To adhere to a predetermined model
  • To master subject matter skills
  • To perpetuate cultural traditions and rituals
  • To use time efficiently
  • To cover more material
  • Others

The Behavior Objectives

When the Command Style behavior is achieved, the following objectives in behavior are emphasized*:

  • To socialize the individual into the norms of the group
  • To achieve conformity and uniformity
  • To build group identity and pride
  • To enhance the espirit de corps
  • To follow directions on cue
  • To achieve specific aesthetic standards
  • To develop habits and routines
  • To perpetuate cultural traditions, ceremonies, and rituals
  • To control groups or individuals
  • To instill safety procedures
  • To establish the power of the group rather than the individual
  • To adhere to a particular kind of discipline
  • Others

*Not all subject matter and behavior objectives are the focal point in every teaching episode.  The task determines which objectives are the primary focus of the learning experience and which are supporting objectives.

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