Critical Learning | Guiding Questions |
This lesson focuses on physically integrated dance. Physically integrated dance refers to dance that includes dancers with and without physical disabilities. It incorporates methods developed from contact improvisation, post-modern, modern and creative dance and the integration of dancers with and without physical disabilities. The lesson allows students to physically explore various assistive devices; however, no amount of ‘exploration’ can take the place of the experience that a person who uses these devices experiences in their daily lives. | What and who is a dancer? Is all movement dance, or potentially dance? How do people in wheelchairs perform modern/contemporary dance? |
Curriculum Expectations | Learning Goals |
Creating, Presenting, and PerformingA3. Dance Techniques: demonstrate an understanding of the dance techniques and movement vocabularies of a variety of global dance forms Reflecting, Responding, AnalyzingB2. 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 FoundationsC2. Contexts and Influences: demonstrate an understanding of the social, cultural, and historical origins and development of dance forms, including their influence on each other and on societyC2.3 identify ways in which dance genres they have studied have challenged social or cultural stereotypes or boundaries in the arts | Learning Goals(Unpacked Expectations)At the end of this lesson, students will be able to:
|
Instructional Components | |
ReadinessStudents need to be familiar with contact improvisation TerminologyAssistive device Discrimination (see Glossary for these terms) | MaterialsResources of a person(s) with a disabilityBlindfolds and earplugs Books from the library Access to internet for research Student journals |
Approximately 20 minutesMinds On | Pause and Ponder |
Refer to BLM #3 Physically Integrated Dance -Unit Planning Notes to develop this unit. Whole Class > Sensitivity ActivityInvite students to spread out around the room. Explain that, without speaking, they will choose to belong to a certain group by gathering together. Tell them that there may be different reasons for joining a group but that these may not be discussed as they must remain silent. After each grouping, stop and debrief by discovering how each group "defined" itself. For example, short-haired group, curly haired group, etc. Ask how many people feel that they could belong to more than one group? For example, stand with people based on:
Note: Keep the discussion focused and within timelines for this first lesson. Write ideas for further issues or discussions on chart paper or board that you would like to return to in subsequent lessons. Whole Class > DiscussionDiscuss how many ways we group ourselves, about belonging to more than one group and about how we feel when we do not "belong" to a particular group. Discuss feelings of inclusion and exclusion. Explore the idea of how we make judgments based on groupings and how this leads to stereotypes and biases. | Assessment for Learning (AfL)The discussion to open this lesson helps identify various experiences that your students bring to the class. It may help create future lessons to explore further. Observe how students are responding to moving with an impairment. Observe the students' understanding and use of positive vocabulary. Differentiation (DI)Students with expertise in a certain area can peer teach. Quick TipWhen speaking about people with disabilities, it is important to put people first. Positive language reflects individuality, dignity, and equality. If an expert is available from the community, have them come in to lead the section where students are exploring movement with ear plugs and blindfolds. Remind students that no amount of ‘exploration’ can take the place of the experience that a person who uses these devices truly lives. You may wish to alternate the groups who have used blindfolds and earplugs for the performance. As well, you may choose to assign groups to a temporary disability to have equal representation of both. Link and LayerHave a person with a disability come and speak to the class. Hyperlinks in the Lessonhttp://www.1in5stories.com/bsf/ https://axisdance.org/performance_repertory.php |
Approximately 80 minutesAction! | |
Small Group> Exploring the term 'disabled'Ask students to form small groups and ask students what the term "disabled" means to them. Invite them to brainstorm a list of all of the possible "disabilities" they can think of. Call upon each group and ask them to share their list of ideas. Whole Class > Individual Reflection and Visible and Invisible DisabilitiesDistribute a post-it note to each student and ask them to think about their personal experiences with disabilities, e.g.: not knowing anyone with a disability, having a disability themselves, knowing someone with a disability, etc. What are our perceptions, stereotypes and ideas about people with disabilities? Ask students to write down one point about their experience or perception about disabilities. After, invite students to share their experience with the class. Lead students in a discussion about how people without disabilities may ignore people with visible disabilities. Guide the conversation towards bringing awareness to a person's disability and highlighting the fact that their experience in this world is unique and that they may be discriminated against in their daily life. Discuss "invisible" disabilities such as deafness or disabilities that invite misunderstanding by others in social situations such as Asperger's Syndrome or Tourette's. Whole Class> Assistive DevicesIntroduce the concept of assistive devices. Key Questions for Discussion:What assistive devices are used by persons with particular disabilities? What are some assistive devices that are very common for people to use (e.g. eye glasses, hearing aids)? What if glasses had not been invented? How many people wearing contacts or glasses would feel disabled without their assisted sight devices? What does our attitude towards the use of glasses compared to the use of a wheelchair tell us about our attitudes as a society to "disability' in general?. Whole Class > Positive and Negative PhrasesFocus on the use of the word "disabled". Use a word wall to help students understand affirmative language regarding people with disabilities:
Remind the students of the Learning Goals for the unit and lesson (stated above). Whole Group > Viewing Dancers with DisabilitiesAsk students if they have ever seen dancers with disabilities in a performance setting? (Some may have as there were dancers in wheelchairs performing in the Para-Olympics in Beijing 2008 and on the television series "Glee"). View and discuss a movie, short video or story about a person with a disability. Companies, such as the pioneering "AXIS Dance" in England share video clips of their repertory on their website. Allow time for discussion on what the students have just seen or heard. Pairs > Leader and Follower- Experiencing a DisabilityPlace students in pairs; one student will have a temporary disability by using either ear plugs or blindfolds to simulate a dancer who has a disability condition. (see Materials) Students will participate in leading and following or mirroring activity. The leader (without the disability) will improvise to music while the follower adapts the movement. Switch roles so that each person has a turn leading. Small Group > Modern Choreography using blindfolds or earplugsPlace students in groups of four. Ask students to choose either blindfolds or earplugs. Students will choreograph a 2 minute modern piece using either Limón or Graham technique, ensuring that they are choreographing with the blindfolds on OR the earplugs in. Students will go through the creative process and make artistic choices on title of the piece, costumes, theme, etc. Remind students to use the elements of dance and compositional tools and forms in their piece. An option may be to give students a quote about being a person who is blind or deaf and incorporate it into their modern dance piece. Whole Class > Sharing ChoreographyInvite students to share their dance pieces. Remind students of proper audience etiquette. Extension: Ask groups to volunteer to perform their dance piece again. This time, one person in the group will not be temporarily disabled. The audience can see if there are differences in the performance and afterward, the student can share the similarities and differences of the performance. | |
Approximately 15 minutesConsolidation | |
Whole Class > ReflectionFacilitate a group discussion on how the students’ perceptions of dance and disability have changed after experiencing the lesson. Encourage students to talk openly about dance, disability, and what they have learned. Lead students in a discussion about their pieces that they created. Key Questions for Discussion:What challenges did your group face? How did you communicate with each other when you couldn't hear? OR How did you communicated with each other when you couldn't see? What senses did you rely more so on? Was there a specific movement vocabulary your group worked with? Explain this vocabulary and why your group choose it. Explain your awareness of different disabilities now. What has changed for you? Explain how your sensitivity to people with disabilities has changed. Describe your perception now. Direct the discussion towards student awareness. Key Questions for Discussion: |
