Unit Overview

Context 

Dance is a unique art form because artist, instrument and creation are all housed within the body. For this reason, it is critical that students of dance become physically and emotionally conscious on both an objective/anatomical  level and subject/creative level. Through greater body awareness, the dancer is able to more intelligently create processes that will lead to healthy, authentic work. This unit is best placed toward the end of a course so that students can draw on the techniques of the various dance forms studied and the alternative practices that benefit the dancing body.

Summary:

This unit will give senior dance students the opportunity to explore and document a physical, creative, and critical process independently, with ongoing modeling and prompting by the teacher. By design, it will draw on and develop the intrapersonal skills of each student. Dancers will show their understanding of their current physical condition, re-mediate areas of need, build on existing strengths and choreograph a work that has autobiographical influences.

Overall Expectations

A1. The Creative Process: use the creative process the elements of dance (body, space, time, energy, and relationship), and a variety of sources to develop movement vocabulary; 
A2. Choreography and Composition: combine the elements of dance in a variety of ways in composing individual and ensemble dance creations;
A4. Performance: apply dance presentation skills in a variety of contexts and performances. 
B1. Critical Analysis Process: use the critical analysis process to reflect on and evaluate their own and others’ dance works and activities; 
B2. Dance and Society: demonstrate an understanding of how societies present and past use or have used dance, and of how creating and viewing dance can benefit individuals, groups, and communities; 
C1. Physiology and Terminology: demonstrate an understanding of the physiology of movement as it relates to dance, including correct terminology
C3. Responsible Practices: demonstrate an understanding of safe, ethical, and responsible personal and interpersonal practices in dance activities

Unit Guiding Questions

What are points of intersection between the physical body and the expressive body?  
How does intuitive creativity mesh with theme or stimuli to create choreography?
Why do you dance?  What has this art brought into your life?
How can you continue to develop as a dancer?

Lesson Guiding Questions

Lesson 1 - Mapping the Body

What significant changes in your physical conditioning (or development) have you noticed throughout this course? 

What are points of intersection between the physical body and the expressive body? 

Where are the areas of strength, weakness, flexibility, tightness, injury, imbalance and/or hyper-extension in your body?

 
Lesson 2 - The Healing Art of Dance
How does training in a variety of dance forms expand your awareness of the possible positions and movements of different parts of your body (your kinesthetic range?)
How can you continue to develop physically, emotionally,intellectually and creatively as a dancer? 
How can you apply your knowledge of dance techniques and training methods to address your body's needs?
Lesson 3 - Dancing Ourselves
What concrete movements and choreographic structures can you use to illustrate the abstract idea you want to express?

How does intuitive creativity mesh with theme or stimuli to create choreography?

What personal story, interest or experience would be meaningful to you to explore through dance and performance?

Lesson 4 - The Art of Critiquing with Kindness 
How can you use your artistic community to help you develop as a dancer?
In what ways can it be enriching to collaborate with fellow artists, when working on an independent project?
Lesson 5 - Performance - the Art of Giving
In what ways does an audience become a part of a live dance performance?
Based on your focal points of creating a solo dance, what criteria are you interested in having assessed?

 

Assessment and Evaluation: How will students demonstrate their learning?
Assessment of learning The culminating assessment for this unit uses the elements of dance to create and perform a solo work inspired by a theme of personal significance (e.g., a theme suggested by an environmental, Aboriginal, or social issue or of a life experience). This will be evaluated using a rubric that is co-constructed with the students.
Two assessments of lesser weighting will also be assigned.
  •  Students will design a Body Map that identifies various areas of strength and need within their physical bodies. 
  • The Body Map will be used to develop a personalized conditioning sequence that combines techniques and addresses the specific needs of the dancer.
Assessment for Learning

Checkpoint#1/Lesson #1

Observation
Completion of BLM #1
Peer feedback
 

Checkpoint #2/Lesson #2

Side-coaching
Observation
Self-assessment
 

Checkpoint #3/Lesson #3

Observation
Side-coaching
Student/Teacher conferencing
 

Checkpoint #4/Lesson #4

Peer-assessment
Observation
Side-coaching 

 

Unit Lessons: How will assessment and instruction be organized for learning?
Approx. Duration 1 class= 70
minutes
Lesson 1

Mapping the Body

Students individually document  their current physical condition by coding and coloring an anatomical picture of a human body representing themselves.
 1 class
Lesson 2

The Healing Art of Dance

Students develop a twenty minute conditioning sequence that targets their areas of need, as identified from their Body Maps in Lesson 1.  This sequence will be used as a daily warm-up for the duration of this unit.
 2 classes
Lesson 3

Dancing Ourselves

Students are guided through the creative process and develop material for a solo dance work.
*Possible Accommodations: Based on the strengths, needs, comfort/experience of students, an option may be provided for partner or duet work.
 3 classes
 
Lesson 4

The Art of Critiquing with Kindness 

Students work in small groups and use the critical process to provide feedback for one another's solo creations.  Emphasis is placed on ways to nourish and inspire a fellow artist in his/her pursuits while maintaining honesty.
 2 classes
Lesson 5

Performance - the Art of Giving

Students negotiate with the teacher on what they wish to be evaluated on, based on their experience of the process.  The following class will be the culminating task of this  unit: The Solo Performances.
 2 classes