Lesson 1 - Dance to Your Own Beat

How do we use dance as a communication tool, as an intrapersonal and interpersonal tool, and as a tool for artistic expression?

What movements capture the essence of who you are?

Creating, Presenting and Performing

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;

A1.3 use the elements to generate and perform movement vocabulary through guided Improvisation 

Reflecting, Responding and Analysing

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;

B2.2 explain how dance exploration can contribute to personal growth and self understanding

Learning Goals

(Unpacked Expectations)

At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:

• explore the elements of dance through guided improvisation
• identify where and why we dance in our daily lives
• reflect on their experiences with dance

Readiness

Students will use their own experiences and prior knowledge of dance. They will need to re-call and reflect on an encounter they have had with dance. (e.g. T.V., parties, school dance classes, gym, outside of school dance classes, etc.)  If students have not had a personal encounter with dance, they can perhaps think about about a question they have about dance.  

Terminology 

Improvisation
Space
Locomotor Movement
Non-locomotor Movement
Levels

Materials

Instrumental Music (recommended Geoff Bennett - Music for Bipedal Movement) Can be purchased off ITunes ©
Mural paper (www.currys.com) (Kraft All Purpose Paper Rolls)
Markers/Pencil Crayons/Pencils
Magazines, Internet (for images of dance/text related of dance)

BLMs

Appendix 2 - Quote // Annexe 2 - Citation
PDF #2 Teacher Guide to Improvisation
PDF #3 Improvisation Checklist

Pairs/Whole Class > Response to Quote

Instruct students to get into pairs. Hand out the following quote on a piece of paper to pairs and invite them to read it silently and then discuss with their partner. (Refer to Appendix 2 - Quote // Annexe 2 - Citation). 

Key Questions for Discussion:

What message or big idea does this quote share? 
Which part of the quote resonates with you the most?
What questions come to mind when you read this?

Read aloud the quote to the whole group and explain that it was written by Canadian Choreographer David Earle. Invite pairs to share their thoughts, ideas and impressions back with the whole group. Record their ideas on chart paper to capture initial thoughts on dance and identity.

Assessment for Learning (AfL)

Observations from improvisation will be a diagnostic assessment of students' movement capabilities.
The collage can be used an as on-going assessment tool, giving you evidence of student learning, and engagement.

Assessment as Learning (AaL)

The collage can be used as an on-going self-assessment tool as students add their questions, insights and new understandings (about dance and themselves) throughout the unit.

Differentiation (DI)

Some students may need a couple of classes to improvise before they feel comfortable with movement. Other groups of students may need to be immersed in dance first (discussions, videos, and guided lessons to introduce dance vocabulary) 

Consider giving students a question to help guide their movement choices within the improvisation. You may choose to use excerpts from the minds on quote. 

Quick Tip

Students may feel reluctant if it is their very first time improvising dance. In the beginning, attempt to keep the focus on all students moving together rather than performer/audience. Remember to build and review class norms and expectations so students feel safe and supported.

Link and Layer

Students will need to use their knowledge of the 5 Elements of Dance: Body, Energy, Space, Time and Relationship.

Hyperlinks in the Lesson

Dance & Dancing Article:
http://artsalive.ca/en/dan/dance101
/whydance.asp
Information on Gardner's theory of Intelligence: https://infed.org/howard-gardner-multiple-intelligences-and-education/
Dance: Understanding Context:
https://artsonline.tki.org.nz/Teaching-and-Learning/Pedagogy/Dance

Additional Information for Lesson: 

Whole Class > Improvisation

Invite students to consider, "What is improvisation"? Record ideas on chart paper. Give the definition of improvisation to students. Allow students think time so that they can recall a time/experience when they observed or took part in an improvisational dance. Instruct students to lie down on their backs and close their eyes. Guide students through improvisation by using adjectives for each body part.  

Prompt: flick feet, rotate ankles, spiral the legs, sway the hips, isolate the rib cage, roll the shoulders, twist the arms, roll wrists, flick hands, turn/tilt neck/head. Work from the lower body to upper body. Refer to PDF #2 for further instructions on how to guide students through this exercise. Ask students to slowly stand up, open their eyes, and continue moving to the music. Once students feel comfortable, they can begin to increase their use of space and locomotor movements.  If they do not feel ready to travel, they can use non-locomotor movements on the spot exploring levels, isolations, full body movements and stillness. Encourage students to use a variety of movements as they are improvising. (e.g. turning, leaping, hopping, rolling, walking, sliding, etc.). After a period of time, have students melt back down to the floor, lying down on their backs, just as they began. As students are dancing, teachers can use PDF #3 for a diagnostic assessment.

Whole Class > Reflection

Ask students to reflect on the improvisation

Key Questions for Discussion:

How did it feel to have your eyes closed? (Afraid, anxious, calming, freeing...etc)
Did you find yourself moving with the music or at a different tempo?
What movement do you remember doing that felt most comfortable for you?
Did you try something that felt 'out of place' for you?
What else did you discover about yourself during this experience?  

Whole Class > Reading Article

Hand out the article: Dance & Dancing:Just Doing What Comes Naturally By Michael Crabb Located on Arts Alive website. (See Hyperlinks). Invite students to sit in a circle and use the popcorn method to share the article out loud. (Each student reads 1-2 sentences).

Key Questions for Discussion:

What is dance?
Why do we dance? (culturally, socially, historically)
What are the stereotypes associated with the word 'Dance'?
Was there anything new you learned about dance through reading the article?

Pairs > Sharing Experiences in Dance

Instruct students to turn to a partner and share their previous experiences in dance.

Prompt: Have you danced at parties, cultural celebrations, dance classes, school, watching T.V., etc) What lasting impression did this experience leave on you? What did you learn about yourself?

Individual > Art Activity 

Direct students, in partners to create a full size cut-out of themselves (they can ask a partner to trace them). Instruct students as individuals to begin to create a collage on the full size cut-out of their experiences, impressions and ideas about dance. Instruct students to find and use images/words/text (from magazines, newspapers etc.) that represent; what they love about dance; what dance means to them; how dancing makes them feel; what questions they have about dance; as well as images/words/text that show people 'connecting' through dance. Invite students to consider the over-all composition of the images and words to enhance the meaning of their work. (size, placement, colour, layers, texture, etc.). This collage will be added to throughout the lesson as students construct new understandings about dance and themselves. 

Whole Class > Discussion and Sharing of Art Activity

Invite students to share their life size cut-out (a work in progress) and share one element or part of the collage that is most meaningful to them. (Note: this could be done as a partner share if students are not ready to share with the whole group). Students may wish to consider the following questions:

You may want to photocopy https://artsonline.tki.org.nz/Teaching-and-Learning/Pedagogy/Dance to supplement this discussion.