The students will use a source as inspiration for dance movement, use guided improvisation to create movement phrases and connect movement phrases using compositional forms. In this lesson, all students will use the same source as inspiration.

Learning Goals

  • Use the elements of dance to create and perform a variety of movement phrases inspired by different sources.
  • Use improvisation to develop movement phrases.
  • Use compositional forms, techniques and structures to connect movement phrases.
  • Accurately demonstrate dance technique.
  • 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 30 minutes)

  • The teacher explains BLM#1 - Review of Compositional Forms.
  • The teacher reads a story to the class (e.g., Feathers and Fools).
  • Students write five words and/or phrases to capture the essence of the story.
  • The teacher asks the students to choose two of the strongest contrasting words or phrases and the teacher compiles the words or phrases on the board emphasizing the concept of contrast in choreography.

Action! (Approximately 100 minutes)

  • The teacher or a student leads the class in a physical warm-up.
  • The teacher organizes students into partners who choose one word or phrase.
  • In pairs, the students create a still shape that captures the essence of the word or phrase from the board.
  • The teacher then directs the students to use the same word or phrase to inspire a traveling movement.
  • The students explore movement inspired by four or five of the different words or phrases, organizing them into a sequence.
  • The teacher may wish to play a variety of appropriate music as background to the working environment. 
  • The teacher can offer the students the opportunity to use any of the music if it enhances their choreographic intent. 
  • The teacher provides the students with a creative movement task/problem, for example: 
    • Each pair is to create a dance study using four contrasting words and/or phrases from the list. 
    • Combine still movements with traveling movements. 
    • Include two of the compositional forms from BLM#1 - Review of Compositional Forms.

Assessment

  • The teacher uses anecdotal notes, teacher-student conferencing and/or checklist to provide feedback to the students as they progress through the assignment.

Consolidation (Approximately 20 minutes)

  • The students share their work with the class. 
  • The teacher facilitates discussion about the task, highlighting the elements of composition and clarity of expression.
  • The teacher or a student leads the class in a cool-down.
  • The teacher introduces BLM#2 - The Creative Process and leads a class discussion about how the students progressed through the Creative Process, ensuring that students understand that each person experiences this Creative Process differently. The model is not linear; steps may be repeated or sometimes, omitted.