Dance II Curriculum Outline
Assumptions:
1. It is assumed that Dance II students have taken one semester of Dance I and have had a brief experience with BEST vocabulary. They are at various levels of ability and experience.
2. This course is designed for high school students and would be modifed for junior high or middle school students.
3. Principles of dance technique, though not always articulated in every learning activity, will be addressed and reinforced throughout the semester according to the needs and level of the students.
4. This curriculum is designed for a block schedule, which assumes 2 – 3 classes (70 - 75 minutes each, after dress time) per week, or 5 classes per two-week block.
5. Each block/unit could be easily expanded. The last 2 week unit can serve as a catch up unit if necessary.
6. Various resources and selected lenses will help shape and inform the delivery of each unit of instruction, as appropriate.
7. This outline is fleshed out with sufficient detail for you to see how conceptual material can be developed. It does not indicate what you will do on each day, but rather, gives scope and sequencing information that can be used to design a more detailed, day-by-day unit plan. One unit plan is fleshed out in detail.
8. The learning outcomes identified are simply for the full curriculum and for the fleshed out unit outline. In a real teaching situation there would be learning outcomes for every unit and class.
Dance II: American Dance History Lens
(1 Semester, 18 weeks)
Course Description: modified from the Utah Core Curriculum http://www.schools.utah.gov/curr/fineart/core_curriculum/dance/Dance_Sec.htm#IIA
This is an intermediate level dance course which builds dance knowledge and skill in technique, improvisation, choreography, artistic expression, performance, history, culture, life skills, and connections to other curricular areas. Students will build this dance knowledge and skill through daily technique, individual and group movement assignments, as well as various written assignments.
Course Learning Outcomes:
By the end of 1 semester (18 weeks) of instruction, students will demonstrate:
1. Increased strength, flexibility, stamina, muscle endurance, coordiantion and agility
2. Increased dance skills such as: alignment, foot articulation, bodily connections, integration of spine, use of breath, initiation from the center of the core, and sequencing.
3. Emerging understanding and integration of selected concepts of Body, Energy, Space, Time, and Motion into movement sequences, improvisational and compositional experiences.
4. An understanding and integration of improvisation and performing techniques.
5. An emerging ability for meaning making in dance through choreographic experiences, and analysis of historical and contemporary choreography.
6. And identify how dance reflects culture in various time and world cultures, specifically American culture through a report on a historic dance figure.
Introductory Unit: Dance can define a culture-class constitution and dance foundation (3 Weeks)
Weeks 1-3 (7-8 days)
What: Establish Rules and expectations, review BEST principles and experience them in their bodies, create personal motifs that express individuality, and create a class folk dance to define our “class culture”
Activities:
1. Class Constitution: Students read and look for rules, guidelines to help create a government. Together we create class rules and guidelines to help govern our class, give students rights, teacher rights, and create an environment of growth and learning.
2. Warm-up, technique, center floor sequences and guided explorations that encompass multiple elements of BEST
3. Assign Choreographer/dance figures for oral reports for the 3rd and 4th unit. From a selected list: : Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Lester Horton, Hanya Holm, Erick Hawkins, Paul Taylor, Jose Limon, Alwin Nikolai, Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, Alvin Ailey, Bill T Jones, Bebe Miller, Donald Mckayle, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Robert Battle, Judith Jamison, Savion Glover, Garth Fagan
Students will research the selected dance figure’s biography, dance history, and dance contributions. A poster and 5 minute oral report will be presented during the 3rd or 4th unit. This will be part of the midterm assessment.
4. Review basics of Body focusing on alignment, warm-up, cool-down, introduce Bartinieff fundamentals warm-up we will use throughout the semester.
5. Review essential elements of Time metric and non-metric emphasized through plié and tendu technique combinations.
6. Review essential elements of Space emphasizing through a center floor combination directions, levels, pathway and focus
7. Review essential elements of Energy focusing on ability to verbally identify and physically differentiate between energy qualities through the center floor combination
8. Review basic elements of motion emphasizing locomotor skills in simple across the floor patterns and two simple folk dances (Virginia Reel, Square dance).
9. Guided improvisation based on rhythm of name and energy qualities present in your personality which develops into a personal motif
10. Create a 32 count mixer as a class to represent the class culture using locomotor movements, and a few personal motifs.
11. Short written test (a pre-test to help assess understanding and amount of information taught during the rest of the semester) on BEST elements of dance.
Dance notation based Unit/Records define history (3 Weeks)
*Full Unit Plan with daily activities located on pages 6-8
Weeks 4-6 (7-8 days)
“History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future.”
Robert Penn Warren
What: Explore different ways history and dance can be recorded, Introduce very basic dance notation, explore concepts of space (dimensions, directions, and shape) through Labanotation, film technique sequence, create a dance map, take pictures of dance shapes, Start personal journals-daily reflective questions
Activities:
1. As a class discuss the ways history has been recorded. Journals, maps, photographs, musical recordings, filming, blogs, newspapers etc. Introduce how dance has been recorded in history: oral tradition, dance masters, Feuillet system, shorthand, labanotation, film, cinematography
2. Technique sequences, center floor combination, and across the floors teach to encourage sequencing/ challenging student’s memories. Focus on elements of space: shape, dimensions and pathways.
3. Teach simple Labanotation: shapes (pin, wall, ball, spiral, and tetrahedron) and directions (rising, sinking, advancing, retreating, spreading, enclosing).
4. Create a dance map to guide choreography duet using motifs from previous unit also incorporating the various shapes identified from Labanotation.
5. Take pictures of the best shapes and they will become a shape collage to decorate one of the bulletin boards in the room.
6. Observe and analyze a few different dances from different genres based on the choreographer’s use of space. Ballet, modern, musical theater
7. At end of unit film technique sequences and then watch them and each student makes technique and performance goals based on that “record”. Students also have the option of keeping a record of their growth through video recordings.
8. Establish daily journal writing: One entry per week required one entry per day encouraged.
Modern dance, an art of social reform/composition (3 Weeks)
Week 7-9 (7-8 days)
What: learn how art is a reflection of history, modern dance pioneers, modern dance oral reports, composition and how it supports choreographic intent; choreograph a trio based on compositional studies
Activities:
1. Discuss how art reflects the history/social state of the day. Introduce basics of modern dance pioneers and how the new dance group based their work on social reform.
2. Assign days for oral reports and posters to be given and shown (1-2 per day) Modern dance pioneers: Martha Graham, Doris Humphrey, Lester Horton, Hanya Holm, Erick Hawkins, Paul Taylor, Jose Limon, Alwin Nikolai. Reports need to consist of a brief biography, dance history, and dance contributions.
3. Teach choreographic principles of continuity, sequence, repetition, variety, unison, contrast, transition, and climax.
4. Experience these choreographic principles in technique combinations and center floor combinations (highlight the form of the combinations).
5. Have students pick out 2 principles and improvise based on those 2 principles.
6. Learn about choreographic form: ABA, Rondo, canon, antiphonal
7. Antiphonal –call and response improvisation
8. Work in Trios to create a choreographic work that contains 2 choreographic principles, and manifests at least one choreographic form.
9. Show trios, edit and rework
10. Watch a classic Modern Dance work and analyze its choreographic form/principles.
11. Continue to record progress, goals, and reflections in daily journals.
Energy and Time- African American Dance Influence (4 Weeks)
Week 10-13(10 days)
What: learn about and explore metric and syncopated rhythms, steppin’ or hip-hop sequences, breath as a rhythm, learn repertory, experiment how rhythms can change movement, energy qualities are indicative of emotional responses, contrasting energy quality studies, oral reports on African American choreographer/dancer
Activities:
1. Discuss African-American history and this cultures impact on the dance world in tap, swing, jazz, modern, etc.
2. Assign days for oral reports and posters to be given and shown (1-2 per day) African-American dance pioneers: Katherine Dunham, Pearl Primus, Alvin Ailey, Bill T Jones, Bebe Miller, Donald Mckayle, Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, Robert Battle, Judith Jamison, Savion Glover, and Garth Fagan. Reports need to consist of a brief biography, dance history, and dance contributions.
3. Deepen Bartinieff fundamentals warm-up focusing on breath and rhapsodic rhythm.
4. Technique patterns emphasize rhythm; incorporate a few more complex rhythms.
5. Learn about rhythms metric, accented, and syncopated through revisiting the note value cards (used in dance I). Through creative process students create layering rhythms and syncopated rhythms.
6. Teach a basic combination that contains no rhythmic basis, in groups of 4 students see how they can change the rhythm of the movement can add repetition, speed and meter.
7. Learn steppin’ or hip-hop sequences
8. Watch Alvin Ailey “Revelations” and evaluate use of rhythm, breath, and energy qualities
9. Go into more depth with energy qualities and how the energy qualities we exhibit are informed by the emotions we feel.
10. Center floor combination addresses multiple energy or effort qualities focusing on the transitions and clarity between various qualities.
11. Improvisations based on contrasting energy qualities/ emotions
12. In groups of 4 from pattern with rhythm added, have students develop pattern into a 1 minute work adding energy qualities, and selected music.
13. Teach part of Pearl Primus, Robert Battle, or Donald Mckayle repertory etudes from American Dance Legacy Institute.
http://www.adli.us/index.html
14. Group choreography, repertory performance, is a class assessment.
15. Continue to record progress, goals, and reflections in daily journals.
Improvisation and post-modern dance/Counter-culture since 1960’s (3 Weeks)
Week 14-16 (7-8 days)
What: abstraction, site specific choreography, contact-improvisation
Activities:
1. Discuss the concept of counter-culture in America. How post-modern dance went against performance norms to create new works and how definition of performance questioned. Teach about Judson Dance Theater.
2. Technique sequences focused on ability to release in the body. Begin longer technique sequence to test strength, flexibility, stamina, muscle endurance, coordiantion, agility, alignment, foot articulation, bodily connections, integration of spine, use of breath, initiation from the center of the core, sequencing, and any other technique skills focused on during the semester.
3. Assignment to observe people for 15 minutes in a public place and notice gestures.
4. Choose one gesture and explore the concept of abstraction: altering time, space, energy through reordering, repeating, diminishing, and inverting the movement.
5. Abstraction improvisation develops into a short composition
6. Explore contact-improvisation in duets.
7. Begin “Self” solos based on dance strengths, daily gestures, a personal experience or personal dance values.
8. One day is a site-specific improvisation day. Groups of 5 are assigned various places in school or outside have 20 minutes to create a dance inspired by the site. (This could develop into a class flash mob dance to advertise for dance company concert) The last 20 minutes of class we walk around and the groups perform for each other.
9. Continue to record progress, goals, and reflections in daily journals.
Contemporary Dance/ Reflection of Self (2 Weeks)
Week 17-18 (5 days)
What: complete journal/portfolio, create own “I am a dancer” statement; choreograph a 1-2 minute solo based on dance strengths.
Activities:
1. Finish teaching longer technique and center floor sequence. This will test strength, flexibility, stamina, muscle endurance, coordiantion, agility, alignment, foot articulation, bodily connections, integration of spine, use of breath, initiation from the center of the core, sequencing, and any other technique skills focused on during the semester.
2. Complete and compile journal or portfolio
3. Students create their own I am a dancer statement and project their dance future
4. Test and film technique sequence
5. Complete and perform their 1-2 minute solo based on dance strengths peer evaluation
6. Last day is “Wii Just Dance” party because dance is fun!
Dance notation based unit/Records define history (3 Weeks)
Unit Learning Outcome: At the end of this 3 week unit, Dance II students will be able to explain the advantages and disadvantages of dance records, demonstrate understanding of dimensions, direction, and shape through basic Labanotation and physical studies, observe and analyze use of space in choreography, and evaluate their own technical abilities by establishing a daily dance journal.
Weeks 4-6 (7-8 days)
“History cannot give us a program for the future, but it can give us a fuller understanding of ourselves, and of our common humanity, so that we can better face the future.”
Robert Penn Warren
Day 1: Records and Dance Map
Resources: dance journals, writing tools, music
Activities
* Class discussion on the ways history is recorded: journals, maps, photographs, newspapers, musical recordings, film, blogs, newspapers etc. Discuss the importance of records.
* Introduce how dance has been recorded in history: oral traditions, dance masters, Feuillet system, shorthand, Labanotation, film, cinematography, are there other ways?
* Bartinieff fundamentals warm-up
* Introduce technique sequence, center floor combination and across the floor that emphasizes pathways and sequencing.
* Give students each a small dance journal, on the first page have them draw 3 dots, connect those dots with 2 different lines
* This is your dance map…each dot represents a shape and place in space. One will be your beginning, one dot will be the end, and the lines you drew will be your pathway for your movement.
* Begin exploring/creating your dance from your map you created.
* At end of class have students record everything they can remember from today’s class
Day 2: Memory and Dance Map continued
Resources: dance journals, writing tools, music
Activities
* Bartinieff fundamentals warm-up
* Have students remember as much as they can recall from technique sequence, then let them use their notebooks, and then review all together. Challenge their memory! Add on to combinations center floor combination and across the floor that continues to emphasize pathways, and sequencing.
* Emphasize the importance of recording dance in our bodies and utilizing our muscle memory!
* Continue to work on exploring/creating your dance from your map you created, to make your dance map longer, combine with another dancer so these dance maps will be performed in duets.
* Add levels to dance and make sure you have at least 4 of the 8 basic locomotor movements
* Journal question of the day: “What did you learn about muscle memory today? In what other circumstances in your life do you experience muscle memory?”
Day 3: Directions
Resources: dance journals, writing tools, music, Laban symbols for directions, Labanotation poster or written on whiteboard, 10-15 pictures of famous sculptures
Activities
* Powerful pelvis warm-up emphasizing getting into the plié and being able to change directions with your pelvis through space.
* Have students remember as much as they can recall from technique sequence, and then review all together. Challenge their memory! Add on to combinations center floor combination and across the floor that continues to emphasize pathways, and sequencing.
* Labanotation for Directions on the whiteboard, and introduce 6 basic directions and how they are defined in Labanotation as well as symbols: rising, sinking, advancing, retreating, spreading, enclosing
* Play Body Twister: call out a body part and a direction (ex: shoulder-rising, foot advancing, head spread right) using LMA language and practice with LMA direction symbol cards
* Hand out pictures of famous sculptures to groups of 2 (duet partners) and have students identify the body parts and directions they are moving toward, record through LMA symbols in notebooks.
* Have them recreate their sculpture in their own bodies, becomes one of the “dots” on their dance map
* Journal question of the day: “What did you learn today about Labanotation? Do you think the symbols accurately demonstrate the movement ideas? If you were to create a new type of notation what symbols would you use for directions in space?”
Day 4: Shape
Resources: dance journals, writing tools, music, Laban symbols for shape, Labanotation poster or written on whiteboard
Activities
* Powerful pelvis warm-up emphasizing getting into the plié and being able to change directions with your pelvis through space.
* Have students remember as much as they can recall from technique sequence, and then review all together. Challenge their memory! Add on to combinations center floor combination and across the floor that continues to emphasize pathways, and sequencing.
* Review Labanotation for Directions, introduce Labanotation shapes and symbols: pin, wall, ball, spiral, tetrahedron
* Explore various shapes and have students identify using LMA language
* Have students revisit their dance map duet, for the 2 other dots on their map, they have to choose 2 different Laban shape symbols and create a physical shape in their dance.
* Give students time to work on their duet
* Journal question of the day: “What kind of shapes do you enjoy making? What are the hardest to make? Did any of the shapes inspire you to make a shape you have never made before?”
Day 5: Evaluating use of space
Resources: dance journals, writing tools, music, 3 video clips of choreography from ballet, modern, and musical theater, Labanotation poster or written on whiteboard
Activities
* Powerful pelvis warm-up emphasizing getting into the plié and being able to change directions with your pelvis through space.
* Have students remember as much as they can recall from technique sequence, and then review all together. Challenge their memory! Add on to combinations center floor combination and across the floor that continues to emphasize pathways, and sequencing.
* Spend quite a bit of time today focusing on technique sequences because they will be tested next week.
* Watch one minute video clips from 3 different genres (ballet, modern, and musical theater) and have students analyze the choreographers use of space)
* If time continue to work on duet.
* Journal question of the day: “How did the choreographers use the element of space to develop their idea or intent? How does the use of space in your dance map choreography help your intent? Write down one idea with space you can do next time to improve your duet choreography.”
Day 6: Review and evaluation preparation
Resources: dance journals, writing tools, music, Labanotation poster or written on whiteboard, Camera for pictures
Activities
* Powerful pelvis warm-up emphasizing getting into the plié and being able to change directions with your pelvis through space.
* Work quickly on technique sequence, center floor combination and across the floor that continues to emphasize pathways, and sequencing.
* Spend quite a bit of time today focusing on technique sequences because they will be tested next time.
* Answer any questions about the technique sequence
* Review LMA language (directions and shapes)
* Have students work on their dance map duets, invite them to choose music for their duet so they will be able to perform next class.
* Have students redraw their dance map including as much Labanotation as possible (2 shape symbols required)
* Students show their favorite shape from their duet and we take pictures that will become a shape collage hung in the classroom for the rest of the semester.
* Journal question of the day: “How do you feel about the test next class period? How do you feel about showing your duet? What is the favorite part of your duet?”
Day7-8: Space and Records Evaluation day
Resources: dance journals, writing tools, music, Labanotation poster or written on whiteboard, Video camera for filming technique and map duets
Activities
* Powerful pelvis warm-up, Bartinieff fundamentals pattern
* Film Technique, center floor combination, and across the floor sequence, have students watch and write down personal goals in journal and turn in goals to the teacher. (These goals will not only inform the students but help me see what the majority of the class needs to work on technically during the next unit.)
* Present dance map duets and then show dance maps, see if other students can identify movement from the map.
* Journal question of the day: “What elements of space did you see present in other duets you watched? What really caught your attention in other duets?”
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