This guide was written to support teachers in planning and teaching Dance 10, 20, and 30 courses. Teachers are required to plan courses at each grade level that will facilitate student achievement of the foundational objectives. In so doing, all Dance 10, 20, 30 courses offered across the province will share important commonalities that will ensure recognition of the credits gained by completion of the courses and will provide consistency for students who transfer from one school to another. The foundational objectives established for Dance 10, 20, 30 courses are the culmination of a continuum of learning that began in the dance strand of Elementary Level arts education curricula.
Rationale
Since early time people have danced. Dance has been integral to social, religious, ceremonial, and spiritual functions of many cultures throughout history. It has been a way for people to express ideas and feelings that were significant in their daily lives.
The Secondary Level dance program encourages students to explore the dance of various peoples in a meaningful way and enables students to express themselves through a nonverbal means of communication while increasing their dancing abilities. The program gives students a comprehensive understanding of dance as they learn specific dances and dance techniques, respond critically to dances seen as audience, and create their own dances for personal expression. Through dance experiences in the three components of the program, students are encouraged to explore, reflect on, and learn about dance.
Dance links the body, intellect, and emotions. This integration provides students with opportunities to further personal and social growth and encourages well-being. At the same time, dance gives students another means of seeing and expressing their ideas about the world around them. Ultimately, the dance program strives to foster a lifelong interest in dance. It challenges students to achieve new levels of discovery and understanding of dance and its value.
Dance Goals
The dance goals below follow from the major aim of the Arts Education program. By participating in the Secondary Level dance program, students will:
Program Introduction
Dance 10, 20, 30 is a flexible, modular program designed to accommodate various school situations and the needs of teachers with varying backgrounds in dance. This curriculum document describes one core module for each grade and 18 optional modules from which teachers can select in planning their courses. At the 30 level, qualified students have the option of choosing an independent study or work study module as one portion of their course. Each course must contain a minimum of two modules in addition to the core module. Modules can vary in length according to the teacher's planning. Each course is based on a 100-hour time allotment.
The foundational objectives describe the required content for Dance 10, 20, 30. These foundational objectives, and learning objectives derived from them, should form the basis for detailed planning in all modules.
Student dance-making (choreography) is an essential part of Dance 10, 20, 30. Appendix A describes a process teachers can use to guide students in composing, presenting, and reflecting on their own dances.
The Dance Teacher
This program is designed to accommodate the expertise of teachers with varying backgrounds in dance. The approved dance types for Dance 10, 20, 30 are Aboriginal, ballet, cultural, jazz, modern, and social. Teachers should plan from the module descriptions according to their own strengths and particular knowledge of dance technique. Each course may be taught by one teacher or by several teachers with different areas of knowledge in dance. Teachers of this course are encouraged to broaden their knowledge of the approved dance types and to enhance their programs by drawing on community resources.
The Role of Performance
Performances should be a natural outcome of rehearsal and classroom activities. Performances should provide an immediate focus and application for class activities and an opportunity to demonstrate acquired learning to parents, administrators, and the public. The performance is an integral part of the education process rather than an ultimate product. Discretion must be used in order to ensure that students are not exploited and that their dance education is not jeopardized as a result of an undue emphasis on performance commitments.