Learning Goals

By the end of this lesson, students will be able to …

  • Work effectively with a partner in a variety of movement activities
  • Demonstrate understanding of a wide variety of elemental concepts of dance 
  • Apply the elements of dance effectively in composing a dance piece
  • Collaborate with a partner/others while planning and exploring ideas 
  • Take risks and think outside the box while creating dance phrases
Materials
Terminology

Minds On

Pairs > Follow the Leader 

Students line up at two corners of the room. Two at a time, students will work their way across the floor (through the general space), with one as the leader and one as the follower. The leader uses various pathways, levels, body parts, shapes, energy, movements, etc., as they move creatively across the floor. Once pairs reach the opposite corner, they join the back of that line, switch leaders and wait to go again with the other partner in the lead. Cue students to adjust the tempo of their movement, find patterns, and increase the difficulty as they go. Be sure students increase the intensity slowly as their bodies become warmed up.

Action

Whole Class > Mirroring

Stand at the front of the room with students facing you, and facilitate a whole-class mirroring experience.

Prompts: Keep your eyes on my eyes so you can see all parts of my body and everything I do. Be sure to do the moves exactly as I do, remembering that no one should be able to tell who is leading. I will go slowly.

Guide students through a variety of slow movements (e.g., raise one hand up, open and close it, lower it back down, lift one leg so your knee is bent, lower it back down, move your body side to side, etc.). Remind students that it is important to be aware of their own body, body parts and movement at all times, as well as the leader’s. If there is time, you could have a few student volunteers lead the class.

Pairs > Mirroring

Students find or are assigned a partner and decide who will lead first. Students take a couple of minutes to try different movements with this leader. You could play music or offer suggestions about how they could incorporate different elements of dance as you circulate. Remind leaders to go slowly and followers to keep the leader’s entire body in their peripheral vision so they don’t miss anything. Switch leaders and repeat. 

If students are stuck, off task, or for additional practice, you could narrate some actions. 

Teacher Prompt: Standing facing each other, move your hands only. Add the head, shoulders, torso, legs, etc. Kneel at a medium level and move only your arms, now your head, now your torso, etc.

Whole Class > Mirroring Reflection 

Students reflect on the following questions in preparation for the next part of the lesson.

Key Questions for Discussion:
  • What was the hardest part about mirroring? 
  • Did you stay together the whole time? Why or why not? 
  • What could you have done differently to have been more in sync with each other?

Do a quick review of the elements of dance and create/post anchor charts around the room. Students will work in partners to create a short movement phrase, based on specific elemental criteria, which can be co-created with the class. The success criteria could look something like this:

  • BODY:​​ Use symmetric and asymmetric shapes, weight transfer, and locomotor and non-locomotor movements
  • SPACE: Use all three levels, at least two directions, a movement using negative space, and at least one pathway to travel
  • TIME: Move effectively in time with the chosen music, following the beat, rhythm and meter, and at least one movement that either accelerates or decelerates
  • ENERGY: Use at least four different types or qualities of energy to express yourself in your movement
  • RELATIONSHIP: Use at least one prop, show an emotional connection with your partner/other dancers, and change your formation or relationship to your partner/other dancers

Decide with the students the minimum/maximum length of their movement phrase (this may depend on how much time you have to create and practice, or may be lengthened for students who are excelling). 32 counts can be a good starting place. 

Students may use PDF #2 Elemental Partner Dance Student Checklist (which you can adjust per your co-created criteria) to record their ideas and track their progress. 

Put on music at a mid-tempo and allow students time to create as you circulate, side-coach and offer feedback. Inspire students to take risks and think outside the box while imagining and creating. 

Whole Class > Sharing Preliminary Work and Feedback

Remind students of proper audience etiquette. After several minutes (5-10), bring students together to share their initial work and offer feedback to one another (e.g., Two Stars and a Wish, Glow and a Grow) using elemental language and dance terminology as much as possible. 

Tip: the more students see and discuss each other’s work, the more ideas they have for their own, and the more they get to know the elements and vocabulary of dance, so don’t rush this.

Pairs > Revising and Refining 

After each pair has received some feedback, allow them some time to revise their work and practice some more. 

Ask them to consider the following:

  • Did they take all feedback into account? Why or why not? 
  • Did they have their own new ideas or self-assessments that they would also like to take into account? 
  • Have they included all of the necessary elements in their dance (according to the success criteria) 

Whole Class > Sharing

Students create a circle, standing next to their partners. may share their work again. You can do this one pair right after the other (without stopping) to keep it moving quickly.  

Consolidation

Individual > Checklist Check

Students reflect on their work with their partner and make notes in their checklist:

  • Did we include all criteria? If not, what are we missing?
  • Is it working smoothly? 
  • Is there anything we’d like to add, delete or adjust? 

This activity continues into the next lesson.

Assessment for Learning (AfL)
  • Teacher observation of students’ comfort with the movement
  • Teacher observation of students’ familiarity with dance terminology and concepts
  • Anecdotal Notes based on criteria
  • Circulate and side-coach, offering feedback as students are creating and practicing
Assessment as Learning (AaL)
  • Co-creation of success criteria for their dance phrase
  • Peer feedback during sharing
  • Self-assessment during creating and sharing
  • PDF #2 Elemental Partner Dance Student Checklist
Assessment of Learning (AoL)
  • Reflective notes after sharing