Resource - African and Hip Hop

Abstract:

In this unit, students will have the opportunity to view, explore and create African and Hip Hop Dance. The class will reflect on how African dance may have influenced Hip Hop dance and examine the origins, as well as the similarities and differences between the two dance forms. Students will then use this learning to create a group choreography, using rondo form. Throughout the unit, there will be multiple opportunities for students to give and receive peer feedback and use this feedback to revise their dance pieces before the final presentation. Because this unit draws upon students' knowledge of the elements of dance and choreographic forms, it would be beneficial to do this unit towards the end of the year, when students have had a chance to develop their skills in dance. Created in 2010 for 2009 Ontario Curriculum Support.

Unit Overview

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Potential Appropriation Issues

The use of some of the lessons in this resource is not recommended for teachers without the cultural background of these dance disciplines. Always invite cultural knowledge keepers to support cultural learning. Africa is a continent with many countries, each with distinctive dance forms. Teachers are encouraged to invite artists who can share their culture as well as their dance with the students. CODE has a Members-Only Artist Roster with some suggested practitioners.

For guidance about teaching dance forms, consider the recommendations in the Members-Only resource Teaching Forms and Cultural Contexts.

Also consider the recommendations in Appendix 2.

African & Hip Hop dance resource cover image — On a grey background, images of dancers demonstrating African cultural forms and Hip Hop cultural forms appear in a collage with a graffiti-style font for the resource title.

Unit Guiding Questions

How are African and Hip Hop dance the same? How are they different?
In what ways might African dance have influenced Hip Hop?
How can we use the movement vocabularies from these two styles of dance to create our own compositions?

Assessment and Evaluation: How will students demonstrate their learning?

Assessment for Learning

Checkpoint/Lesson #1

Teacher observation
Side coaching
Reflection

Checkpoint/Lesson #2

Teacher observation
Side coaching

Checkpoint/Lesson #3

Teacher observation
Side coaching
Self-assessment

Checkpoint/Lesson #4

Teacher observation
Side coaching
Peer feedback

Assessment of Learning

Culminating Performance Task

Students will create a group choreography, using rondo form, that uses the movement vocabulary from both African and Hip Hop dance. This will be evaluated using a rubric.

Unit Lessons: How will assessment and instruction be organized for learning?

Lesson 1

Exploring African

In this lesson, students will analyze videos of African dance and use this as a stimulus to create their own movement phrases.

1 class (~60 minutes)

Lesson 2

Exploring Hip Hop

In this lesson, students will analyze photos of Hip Hop dancers and use this as the stimulus to create their own movement phrases.

1 class

Lesson 3

Choreography

Students will work in small groups to create a dance that uses the movement vocabularies from both African and Hip Hop dance. They will each be responsible for creating a segment of the choreography. Students will use rondo form to help them organize their choreography.

1.5 classes

Lesson 4

Sharing Works in Progress

In this lesson, students will have the opportunity to share their works in progress and receive peer feedback. They will be responsible for planning how to use this feedback to revise their dance pieces.