Unit Overview

This unit plan was revised from the Ontario Ministry of Education Course Profiles written in 1999.

Unit Description

This unit could be used as an introductory unit to the Grade 9, 10, or 11 Open Dance courses. It assumes no specific background in jazz. It would also be useful to elementary teachers who can select appropriate activities to teach the various styles of jazz dance.

In this unit, students will be introduced to the basic movement skills in Jazz Dance. They will identify its terminology and will explain the historical and cultural significance. Throughout the unit, students will apply safety principles as well as learn to use the new technique in a safe manner. They will observe and identify a spectrum of styles within Jazz Dance. Students will continue to use appropriate classroom conventions as both performers and audience members as well as to reflect on their own work and the work of others.

Big Ideas/Guiding Questions for Unit:

  • How is dance a reflection of a society?
  • How can dance express cultural traditions?

Learning Goals for Unit:

Students will:
  • Demonstrate and understand that the foundation of jazz stems from African dance
  • Demonstrate an understanding of safety issues in dance class; character traits needed in dance class.
  • Demonstrate basic jazz dance technique.
  • Demonstrate the ability to memorize and perform complex dance patterns.
  • Understand the importance and benefits of the class warm-up routine.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of the stylistic characteristics in jazz dance.
  • Develop research and presentation skills
  • Demonstrate an understanding of historical development of jazz dance in North America since 1900.
  • Apply the elements of dance and knowledge of jazz technique to the creation of short jazz combinations.
  • Demonstrate the stylistic characteristics of jazz as they relate to the popular music selected.
  • Demonstrate an understanding that experimentation is a foundational concept in Jazz dance
  • Demonstrate collaboration in the creation of combinations
  • Demonstrate an understanding of musical phrasing/counts
  • Demonstrate how to revise and refine movement to enhance the presentation
  • Understand how to critically observe popular media forms
  • Demonstrate an understanding of issues arising from media and its influence on the general population (stereotypes, racism, violence, etc).

Materials

Assessment

  • Assessment for Learning involves learners receiving a considerable amount of descriptive feedback during their learning. It allows the learner to adjust what he or she is doing in order to improve (Making Classroom Assessment Work, 2007).
  • Application of knowledge and skills to the rehearsal process
  • Application of technique, composition, and performance skills
  • Submission of a dance scrapbook, written assignments, reflective journals, e-journal, portfolio, or blogs
  • Approach to class work and the creative process
  • Teacher and peer observation and feedback
  • Assessment of Learning is checking to see what has been learned to date. It is the evaluation that results are often summarized into marks, scores or grades (Making Classroom Assessment Work, 2007).
    • Research Project – Jazz Timeline (handout, presentation)
    • Evaluation of the creative process
    • Technique – culminating activity
    • Knowledge of Jazz terminology - Quiz
    • Performance skills - culminating activity
    • Composition skills – culminating activity
  • Assessment as Learning is about reflecting on the evidence of learning. This is the part of assessment where students and teachers set learning goals, share learning interventions and success criteria, and evaluate their learning through dialogue and self and peer assessment.
    • Self / peer reflections
    • Critical analysis of the creative process

Notes/Assessment/Differentiated Instruction/Resources

  • Reinforce the supportive risk-taking atmosphere, observing group dynamics to ensure collaborative work.
  • Suggestions for practice:
    • Modelling
    • Guided practice and scaffolded exploration
    • Co-construction of understanding
    • Gradual release of responsibility
    • Differentiation
    • A variety of groupings and collaborative structure
  • Obtain information concerning students registered in the dance course in order to make appropriate student accommodations.
  •  Elicit the assistance of the support and resource personnel.
  • In the case of experienced, talented, or highly motivated students, there may be a need to adjust teaching strategies. For example, students’ assignments may be modified to become more challenging, students may play a leadership role in class, or explore concepts further through differentiation.

Resources - Jazz Dance

1. Arnheim, Daniel D. Dance Injuries: Their Prevention and Care, Third Edition. Pennington, New Jersey, Princeton Book Company, 1991.

2. Audy, Robert. Tap Dancing: How To Teach Yourself to Tap. New York: Random House, 1976.

3. Austin, Judy. “Women in Jazz,” Dance Teacher Now, July/August, 1992.

4. Beatty, Patricia. Form Without Formula: A Concise Guide to the Choreographic Process. Toronto: Press of Terpsichore, 1985.

5. Begin, Carmelle and Crepeau, Pierre. Dance! Hull, Quebec: Canadian Museum of Civilization, 1989.

6. Cayou, Dolores Kirton. The Origins of Modern Jazz Dance. Palo Alto, Califormia: National Press Books, 1970.

7. Cohen, Selma Jeanne, ed. Dance as a Theatre Art: Source Readings in Dance History From 1581 to the Present, Second Edition. Princeton, New Jersey: Princeton Book Company, 1992.

8. Dance Film and Video Guide. New Jersey: Princeton Book Company, 1991.

9. Dance Ontario Directory, 1999. Toronto: Dance Ontario, 1999.

10. Denby, Edwin. Looking at the Dance. New York: Curtis Books, 1968.

11. Ellfeldt, Lois, and Carnes, Edwin. Dance Production Handbook: or, Later is Too Late. Palo Alto, California: National Press Books, 1971.

12. Franklin, Eric. Dance Imagery for Technique and Performance. Windsor, Ontario: Human Kinetics, 1996.

13. Giordano, Gus. Anthology of American Jazz Dance. Evanston, Il, Orion Publishing House, 1978.

14. Giordano, Gus. Jazz Dance Class: Beginning thru Advanced. Pennington, N.J., Princeton Book Company, 1992.

15. Grant, Janet Millar. 101 Movement Games for Children.

16. Grant, Janet Millar and Kamino, Gabby. Teacher’s Guide for The Dancemakers: Dance Video Series. Toronto, Dance Collection Danse, 1995.

17. Kraines, Minda Goodman and Kan, Ester. Jump Into Jazz, second edition. Mountain View, California, Mayfield Publishing Company, 1990.

18. Long, Richard A. The Black Tradition in American Dance. New York: Rizzoli International Publications Inc., 1989.

19. Luigi, and Wydro, Kenneth. The Luigi Jazz Dance Technique. Garden City, New York: Garden City: Doubleday, 1981.

20. Metropolitan Toronto School Board. DanceMetro. North York, Ontario: Metropolitan Toronto School Board, 1994.

21. Oxenham, Andrew and Crabb, Michael. Dance Today in Canada. Toronto: Simon and Pierre, 1977.

22. Sadie, Stanley, ed. The New Grove Dictionary of Music and Musicians. New York: Grove’s Dictionaries of Music Inc., 1980.

23. Stearns, Marshall and Jean. Jazz Dance: The Story of American Vernacular Dance. New York: DaCapo Press, 1994.

24. Stirling, June and Stirling, Don. A Modern System of Tap Notation. Newark, New Jersey: Fairyland, U.S.A. Inc., 1958.

25. Thorpe, Edward. Black Dance. Woodstock, New York: The Overlook Press, 1989.

26. Watkins, Andrea and Clarkson, Priscilla M. Dancing Longer Dancing Stronger: A Dancer’s Guide to Improving Technique and Preventing Injury. Pennington, New Jersey: Princeton Book Company, 1990.

Videos

Dance Black America. Distributed by: Dance Horizons Video, 1983.

Dancemakers Video Series, Dance Collection Danse, 1995.

Magazines

Dance in Canada (archival copies)

Dance Connection

Dance Magazine

Dancing Times

Dance Teacher Now

Journals/Newsletters: Contact Quarterly

Dance Collection Danse

Dance Chronicle

DCA News

Dance Scope

The Dance Current

The New Dance Review, New York