Big Ideas
Big Ideas
Dance offers unique ways of exploring our identity and sense of belonging.
Individual and collective expression is rooted in history, culture, community, and values.
Growth as a dancer and choreographer requires perseverance, resilience, and reflection.
The body is an instrument for artistic expression in dance.
Traditions, perspectives, worldviews, and stories are shared through aesthetic experiences
emotional, cognitive, or sensory responses to works of art
.
Content
Learning Standards
Content
elements of dance
body, space, time, dynamics, relationships
- body: the primary instrument of expression in dance; what the body is doing (e.g., whole- or partial-body action; types of movement, such as locomotor and non-locomotor)
- space: where the body is moving (e.g., place, level, direction, pathway, size/reach, shape)
- time: how the body moves in relation to time (e.g., beat/underlying pulse, tempo, rhythmic patterns)
- dynamics: how energy is expended and directed through the body in relation to time (quick/sustained), weight (strong/light), space (direct/indirect), and flow (free/bounded)
- relationships: with whom or what the body is moving; movement happens in a variety of relationships (e.g., pairs, groups, objects, environments)
skills specific to a technique
examples in modern dance: suspend, fall, breath, weight, oppositional pull, swing, contraction, spiral; examples in hip hop: grooving, isolations, rhythm, foot patterns, body rolls, freestyle; examples in ballet: positions of the feet and arms, turnout of the legs, barre and centre work, including plié, tendu, fondu, rond de jambe
, genre, or style for example, classical, contemporary, culturally specific
anatomically and developmentally sound movement principles
including but not limited to alignment, weight transfer, flexibility, strength, balance, coordination
rehearsal and performance skills
the technical, expressive, and cognitive skills necessary for learning, refining, and performing movement:
- Technical skill is the ability to reproduce movement accurately in relation to movement principles, elements of dance, and style.
- Expressive skills include but are not limited to projection, focus, confidence, musicality, spatial awareness, facial expression, sensitivity to other dancers, dynamics, and embodiment of the elements of dance to communicate the style or choreographic intent.
- Cognitive skills include but are not limited to preparedness, commitment, concentration, trust, co-operation, collaboration, application of feedback, willingness to explore, capacity to improve, movement acquisition, and memory.
choreographic forms and structures
the shape or structure of a dance; the orderly arrangement of thematic material (e.g., AB, ABA, rondo, canon, theme and variation, call and response, narrative)
choreographic devices
dance notation
the formal and informal written systems of symbols, shapes, and lines that represent body position and movement
and vocabulary
kinesthetic awareness
the body’s ability to coordinate motion and its awareness of where it is in time and space
the role of dancers, choreographers, and audiences in a variety of contexts
contributions of key dance innovators from a variety of genres, contexts, periods, and cultures
traditional and contemporary First Peoples worldviews and cross-cultural perspectives communicated through movement and dance
history and theory of a variety of genres
ethics of cultural appropriation
use of a cultural motif, theme, “voice,” image, knowledge, story, song, or drama, shared without permission or without appropriate context or in a way that may misrepresent the real experience of the people from whose culture it is drawn
and plagiarism
safety protocols
procedures to prevent harm or injury to self and others, including, for example, environment, biomechanics, clothing, and footwear
Curricular Competency
Learning Standards
Curricular Competency
Explore and create
Demonstrate dance elements and techniques in a variety of historical and contemporary genres or styles
for example, classical, contemporary, culturally specific
Develop an articulate body as an instrument of expression
Explore the interplay of movement, sound, image, and form to convey meaning
Express meaning, intent, and emotion through movement
Select dance elements, principles, techniques, vocabulary, and symbols to create innovative movement phrases
sequences of movement ordered to convey specific meaning or intent
Create and perform movement phrases both collaboratively and as an individual
Use choreographic devices
methods applied to change or develop movement (e.g., level, dynamics, retrograde, repetition, body part)
to generate movement
Take creative risks
make an informed choice to do something where unexpected outcomes are acceptable and serve as learning opportunities
to explore personal preferences in executing and creating movement
Consider audience and venue while composing, rehearsing, and performing
Reason and reflect
Describe and respond
through activities ranging from reflection to action
to movement and artistic works using the language of dance vocabulary, terminology, symbols, and non-verbal methods of communication that convey expression or meaning in dance
Reflect on rehearsal and performance experiences
Receive and apply constructive feedback
Demonstrate respect for self, others, audience, and place
any environment, locality, or context with which people interact to learn, create memory, reflect on history, connect with culture, and establish identity. The connection between people and place is foundational to First Peoples perspectives on the world.
Communicate and document
Document
through activities that help students reflect on and demonstrate their learning (e.g., writing an essay or article, journaling, taking pictures, storyboarding, making video clips or audio-recordings, constructing new works, compiling a portfolio)
, share, and appreciate dance works and experiences in a variety of contexts
Perform exercises, steps, combinations, and dance works in a variety of contexts
Develop strategies to communicate and interpret ideas and emotions through dance
Use dance to communicate and respond to personal and social issues
Express personal movement preferences, cultural identity, perspectives, and values through individual and group movement compositions
Connect and expand
Demonstrate personal and social responsibility associated with creating, performing, and responding to dance, including movement, music, thematic, and costume choices
Explore a range of local, national, global, and intercultural performers, movements, and genres
Explore First Peoples perspectives and knowledge, other ways of knowing
First Nations, Métis, and Inuit, gender-related, subject/discipline-specific, cultural, embodied, intuitive
, and local cultural knowledge to gain understanding through movement and dance
Explore ways in which dance impacts cultures and societies
Make personal and community connections through dance