Description

This lesson will introduce the African roots of jazz dance and a brief survey of jazz dance in North America, focusing on Canadian contributions.

Potential Appropriation Issues in this unit:

If African dance is outside of your personal culture, please avoid appropriation. Always invite cultural knowledge keepers to support cultural learning. CODE recommends that teachers read: Definitions and Examples of Cultural Appropriation in our document: In a Good Way: Drama, Dance and Indigenous Studies.

Learning Goals

  • Demonstrate an 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.

Materials

  • Visual and audio aids to create a jazz environment e.g. pictures,shoes, videos, music, etc.
  • Power-point presentation to introduce the roots and development of jazz dance.
  • African dances resources to teach (online) dances or book a guest artist.

Minds On (Approximately 20 minutes)

Creating a Jazz Environment

  • Use visual and audio aids to create an atmosphere for the students as they enter the dance studio (e.g. pictures, dance shoes, music, videos, musical theatre programs relating to jazz could be displayed to begin this unit).

Class Discussion

  • Students share personal experiences and perceptions of jazz.

Mini-lecture

  • Give a mini-lecture (powerpoint) to introduce the roots of jazz and a brief survey of its development, correlation between blues and jazz, body percussion and rhythm.

Action! (Approximately 45 minutes)

African Roots

Introduce students to the African roots of modern jazz. There are various methods available:

  • Invite an expert in African dance to teach traditional African dances with authentic music to students. The guest teacher will share how African dance has influenced jazz dance in North America.
  • Show videos of authentic dances, leading students in a discussion of what they have seen in the videos and its influence on jazz dance in North America. Students with knowledge and experience of African dance and/or African culture should be encouraged to share their expertise, stories and experiences.
  • Teach students traditional African dances (e.g., Juba, Bele Kawe, Tant’ Hessie) with authentic music. Inform students how African dance has influenced jazz dance in North America.  (See note on appropriation at the beginning of this unit before using this approach.)

Consolidation (Approximately 10 minutes)

  • Assess students’ general knowledge of jazz through class discussion or ask the students to write in their reflective journals.

Use observation to assess the students’ level in order to adapt the technique contained in these activities.

Notes / Accomodations/ Modifications

  • Teachers should ensure that they have a full cultural understanding of each form they teach and if not, hiring a Guest Artist is a better approach.
  • Please remember that all dance is cultural when discussing dance forms.
  • Students can use reflective journals, blogs, electronic diaries, or digital scrapbooks in order to integrate technology.