During this lesson, students will meet with a group of like-minded students that all felt a personal connection to the same/similar source(s)/stimulus.  The students will begin to progress through the creative process to develop movements and movement phrases inspired by their source.

Notes

  • The teacher defines the parameters of the assignment according to the knowledge and experience of their students.  For example, the teacher should select the specific recipe for the dance composition:
    • Minimum/maximum length of piece
    • Dance technique, style and form
    • Number and types of elements, compositional forms, and principles of dance to incorporate/manipulate
  • The teacher should still make available the original sources/stimuli that the students selected the day before so that the students can continue to be inspired and expand on their thinking from the previous lesson.

Learning Goals

  • Use the elements of dance to create and perform a variety of movement phrases inspired by different sources.
  • Manipulate three or more elements of dance in movement phrases.
  • Use improvisation to develop movement phrases.
  • Use choreographic forms, techniques and structures to connect movement phrases.
  • Provide feedback to others to help their development of movement skills.
  • Use feedback from teachers and peers to improve their work in dance.
  • Apply dance studio roles and responsibilities.
  • Demonstrate an understanding of safety issues in dance class; character traits needed in dance class; copyrighted music and choreographic work.

Materials

Minds On (Approximately 5 minutes)

Action! (Approximately 60 minutes)

  • The teacher distributes the chart paper and markers and asks the students to brainstorm words, images, ideas, and emotions that illustrate the essence of their source on the chart paper.
  • The teacher or a student leads the class through a physical warm-up.
  • The teacher leads the students through a process of guided exploration/improvisation asking them to choose one idea at a time from their group brainstorming chart.
  • The teacher introduces the students to a variety of additional stimuli such as props, costumes, scarves, music, rope, instruments, stretchy fabric bags, etc.
  • The students begin the process of creating movement phrases that can eventually be organized into a complete dance work.
  • The teacher can connect with the different groups and assist them in selecting movement ideas, emotions and images in order to create movement phrases.

Consolidation (Approximately 15 minutes)

  • The teacher or a student leads the class though a physical cool-down.
  • The groups meet again to make a few notes on what they have accomplished so far as reminders for continuing the process the next day. Index cards can be used and collected by the teacher, or students can use their personal journals or notebooks.

Note

  • Throughout the process, the teacher reinforces the benefits of using improvisation as a method of creating organic movement from various sources.