The following are descriptions of core and optional modules for Dance 10, 20, 30. Teachers are encouraged to:

• do a needs assessment before planning the core module
• choose or develop optional modules based on their own expertise and knowledge, their students' areas of interest, and the availability of support resource materials
• collaborate with other dance teachers in module selection to avoid repetition of optional modules
• encourage able and interested 30-level students to select the independent study module.

Core Modules

There is one core module for each of Dance 10, 20, and 30. This module should be allocated 30 to 50 hours of time, depending on the background and needs of the students. The module is intended to reinforce key learning in dance, which the students will then apply in the optional modules. The core modules are not described here by grade as the experience of the students will vary from school to school, especially in the implementation years of the Arts Education and Dance 10, 20, 30 programs.

The teacher or teachers of Dance 10, 20, 30 should plan the core modules in a developmental manner, building in each grade on the knowledge and abilities of their students. The core modules should concentrate on concepts that are common to all dance types, rather than on concepts specific to one type of dance only. Teachers can plan the core modules around a particular theme or focus if they wish. The sample module in this guide is an example of a fully developed core module.

In the core modules the students should:

• Be introduced to the foundational objectives. The foundational objectives comprise the required content of Dance 10, 20, 30. A brief introduction to them will provide students with an overview of the program, let them know what is expected of them in the dance program, and let them know on what they will be evaluated.
• Examine specific learning related to the elements of dance and principles of composition for their grade. Expectations range from "understanding" in Dance 10 to "consistently applying" in Dance 30. Further information on the elements and principles can be found in the Foundational Objectives section and in Appendix B.
• Learn the meaning of "dance types". The approved dance types for Dance 10, 20, 30 are Aboriginal, ballet, cultural, jazz, modern, and social. Although the focus in the optional modules might not be on all types, students should, in the core modules, be introduced to them so they understand the breadth of the field of dance.
• Be reminded of the meaning of "technique", and learn techniques from more than one of the approved dance types.
• Learn the meaning and importance of improvisation. In grades 1 to 9 arts education, students experienced improvisation at the movement exploration stage of the dance-making process. In Dance 10, 20, 30, improvisation becomes key to extending each student's movement vocabulary, and encouraging students to find new ways of moving. In the core module students should be reminded that, in Dance 10, 20, and 30, they will improvise when exploring movements for their own dances and in performance situations.
• Be reminded of the importance of personal expression. Dance is an art form, and as such, it grows from the contributions of individual artists. In Dance 10, 20, and 30, students will learn to appreciate personal expression in the dances of others and to develop their own personal expressions through their dancing and choreography.
• Be introduced to the factors that contribute to a quality performance, such as each dancer's commitment and self-motivation.
• Learn about the care and prevention of injuries.
• Review or learn the steps of the process described in Responding to Dance Presentations (Appendix C). As many of the experiences in Dance 10, 20, 30 will be connected to choreography, it is essential that students view dances with the proper attitude and openness. This process will enable them to withhold their judgement until they have thought about the dance and performance. Students with several years of arts education should be experienced at participating in this process and will need only a brief review in the core module.

Optional Modules

What follows here is a description of the 18 optional modules, plus a brief description of an independent study module, which might be undertaken by able students at the 30 level. Teachers should choose at least two optional modules per grade.

The activities listed within each module description are intended only to spark teachers' imagination and provide some idea of how each module might be developed. For a detailed look at a fully developed module, teachers should study the sample module in this guide.

Teacher Note Students should create their own dances as a portion of most optional modules. The teacher can assist students in their dance - making (choreography) by guiding them through a process such as the one described in Appendix A. Whenever the module outlines suggest that students create their own dances, the teacher should refer to the information in Appendix A. Students who have experienced the dance strand in grades 1 to 9 arts education will be familiar with the dance - making process.

1. Technology and Dance

This module focuses on the role of technology in dance, both past and present. Students can explore how technological change has influenced both traditional and contemporary dance. They can create their own dance compositions based on themes related to technology. In this module, students can also examine technology that is a part of dance performances, such as sound, lighting, or projected images.

In this module, students could:

• Examine the impact of technology on the arts and dance in particular.
• View and discuss dances of all types -- both traditional and contemporary-- that use technology or have technology as subject matter.
• Learn set dances that have technology as themes or subject matter -- folk dances about work, for example.
• Examine the role of technology in dance productions -- lighting design, for example.
• Examine changes in technology that have affected dance performances in the late twentieth century.
• Create and refine dance compositions reflecting the impact of technology or using technology to advance ideas.

2. Politics and Dance

Throughout history, the arts have been a means of expressing cultural perspectives and political viewpoints. In this module, students can explore the role of dance as a political vehicle in various cultures, past and present. Students can also examine political themes in contemporary choreography and create their own dance compositions based on political themes relevant to them.

In this module, students could:

• Research cultures where traditional dance has been banned for political reasons (highland dance in Scotland or Aboriginal dance in Canada, for example).
• Learn dances with controversial political histories (highland dances, for example).
• View and discuss contemporary dances with political themes, such as Danny Grossman's Endangered Species.
• Create and refine their own dances with political themes relevant to them.
• Explore movement possibilities and create their own dances in response to political art works in other forms -- in response to Pablo Picasso's painting Guernica or Olivier Messiaen's composition Quartet for the End of Time, for example.

3. Changes in Dance

Dance, like all art forms, has evolved from the first dances created by humans to very contemporary dance of the present time. In this module, students can explore changes in a specific dance form, such as ballet; in methods of dance instruction, choreography or notation; or in the dance of their own contemporary popular culture. Whatever the focus of the module, students should research to connect changes in dance to political and cultural events of the times.

In this module students could:

• Explore changes throughout the history of a specific dance type, such as ballet, tap, or jazz, for example.
• Explore changes over the years in a particular dance event, such as the powwow or the teen dance.
• Explore changes in gender roles and expectations in the history of dance or in the dance of various cultures.
• Interview knowledgeable people about changes in their particular dance; square dance, for example, or ballroom dance.
• Create either group or individual dances that reflect changes in the history of dance -- a kind of dance "timeline", perhaps.
• Choose a period in history -- World War II, for example -- and connect the dance of the time to political and other events.

4. Dance as Part of Life

People have danced since the earliest of human societies. The purposes for dancing are many and varied -- spiritual, social, celebratory, aesthetic, to name just a few. In some cultures, dance is not separated from daily living; the meaning of dance is connected to everyday life. In other cultures, dance for most people is recreational, separate in content and meaning from the work-day world. This module explores the many relationships between dance and daily living, comparing differences among cultures, both historical and contemporary. The module provides an opportunity for students to evaluate dance in their own lives and consider the roles it could have in the students' future.

In this module students could:

• Examine the presence, role, and meaning of dance in their own lives.
• Compare the role and meaning of dance in their lives and their grandparents' lives, speculating on reasons for changes.
• Examine the role of dance in various selected cultures, past and present, concentrating on the relationships between dance and aspects of daily living.
• Learn cultural dances that had/have meaning closely related to the daily tasks and fundamental beliefs of the people.
• Explore ritual in dance.
• Create dances inspired by something in their own daily lives; their part-time jobs, for example.

5. Dance Manias

Although we associate dance manias with popular culture, they have existed for hundreds of years. Manias are often short-lived and, in retrospect, may appear bizarre or humourous. In this module students can examine various dance manias in their historical or contemporary contexts, focusing on each mania's particular mass appeal.

• Research early dance manias; in the Middle Ages and early Renaissance, for example.
• Compare various dance manias, examining their historical contexts and looking for relationships between the dances and the times.
• Examine the relationships between dance manias and other aspects of popular culture, such as popular music and dress.
• Examine the effect of mass media on popular dance, from early radio to contemporary music videos.
• Examine various contemporary dance phenomena, such as the mosh pit, raves, renewed interest in disco and ballroom dance, etc.
• Complete an in-depth study of one dance mania (1970s disco, for example), looking at related movies, fashion, political events, economy, etc.
• Create a fictitious dance mania, including the dance itself, newspaper reports, photographs, dress, letters to the editor, etc.

6. Dance and the Other Arts

Clearly, there is a relationship between dance and other art forms. All forms are influenced by the common times and cultures within which they exist. Often, artists are directly influenced by each other; a writer by a painter, for example, or a choreographer by a composer. Artists working in different forms often have common creative or intellectual intentions, or use similar creative processes. In this module, students have the opportunity to look at dance within the context of all art forms, examining direct and indirect relationships.

In this module students could:

• Compare and contrast various art works from the students' own community (art, music, dance, writing, drama, film/video, etc.), looking for similarities and differences, and proposing reasons that the similarities and differences exist.
• Plan and conduct a panel discussion involving artists who work in various forms, on commonalties among the arts. Discuss such things as products, process, creative and intellectual intentions, economics, training, lifestyle, etc.
• Examine the work of a particular dance artist who had a direct relationship with an artist working in another medium; the work of dancer Vaslav Nijinsky in relation to the work of composer Igor Stravinsky, for example.
• Examine ballets based on other works; Roland Petit's ballet Carmen, for example, based on the novella by Prosper Meriméé and Georges Bizet's famous opera of the same name; or Marius Petipa's Don Quixote based on the novel by Miguel de Cervantes; or Petipa's Sleeping Beauty based on the well-known fairy tale.
• Choose an historical period and look at the dance, art, music, writing, and drama of the period for commonalities and differences.
• Choose a term that might be common to the various art forms ("expressionism", for example) and examine what it means in visual art, music, dance, drama, writing, film, etc.
• Examine the arts, including dance, of a selected culture, focusing on relationships among them and cultural reasons for the relationships.
• Create dances inspired by other art works.

7. Gender and Dance

The history of dance presents an opportunity for students to examine evolving gender roles. Students can research gender roles in various historical periods, cultures and types of dance. In addition, they can examine the dance and

choreography of men and women, looking for similarities and differences in style and content.

In this module students could:

• Examine the roles of male and female dancers in an historical survey of one type of dance; modern or ballet, for example.
• Examine the roles of men and women in various cultural and/or social dances.
• Compare the roles of male and female dancers in a traditional ballet and a contemporary dance.
• Compare the works of several choreographers, male and female, looking for similarities and differences in style and content.
• Examine the meaning of "androgyny" and look for contemporary dance works where the gender of the dancers is not relevant.
• Study the emergence of women as choreographers.
• Examine changes in contemporary dance brought about by women choreographers.
• Study the effects of various individuals on dance, both male and female (Martha Graham, for example, and Rudolph Nureyev), and examine whether their particular influences were related to gender roles or traditions.

8. Dance in Movies, Film, or Video

Many movies, films, and videos incorporate dance as an important element. In this module, students can look for the presence of dance and examine its role in the overall presentation. They can look at both historical works and contemporary works such as music videos, and create their own films or videos that incorporate dance.

In this module students could:

• Study a particular type of dance movie (the Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire movies, for example), examining the dance and reasons for the movies' popularity.
• Examine the role of dance in movies such as Saturday Night Fever, which had a resulting influence on the popular culture of the times.
• Study the role of dance in film adaptations of musicals, such as West Side Story and Grease.
• Compare and contrast the role of dance in various types of music videos (rap and light rock, for example), examining reasons for the presence of dance in the videos and the relationship between the music and the dance.
• Learn dances that appear in various types of popular music; line dances and hip hop, for example.
• Examine the phenomenon of exercise videos and their relationship to various types of music and dance.
• Create their own music videos which incorporate dance.

9. Dance Expressions: Individual and Cultural

Dance expressions, like expressions in all art forms, can be individual, cultural, or combinations of the two. Cultural expressions tend to reflect the values, beliefs, and aesthetic sensibilities of a group of people. Individual expressions tend to reflect the ideas of one creative person; a choreographer, for example. Many individual expressions are strongly influenced by cultural roots. In this module, students have the opportunity to explore the differences and connections between cultural and individual expressions. They can also examine issues related to the preservation of traditional culture and the contemporary artist's desire for creative freedom.

In this module students could:

• View and discuss dances that pass on the traditional beliefs and values of a group of people.
• View and discuss dances that reflect the intellectual and creative ideas of individual choreographers.
• View and discuss a contemporary dance that is strongly influenced by the choreographer's cultural roots.
• Interview someone who participates in cultural dance (highland dancing, powwow, etc.) to ask the following: whether and how their particular dance type reflects both cultural roots and contemporary life; whether and how their dance form has been influenced by the contributions of individual dance artists.
• Explore controversial issues related to the incorporation of traditional dance steps and symbols in contemporary dance expressions.
• Examine the role of traditional dances in the preservation of culture.
• Examine the contribution of individual expressions to the overall cultural wealth of a people.

10. Celebrations and Ceremonies

Dance is often a part of celebrations or traditional ceremonies -- weddings, family reunions, parades, victory parties, cultural events, etc. Celebratory or ceremonial dance can be culturally specific or cross-cultural. It can be highly organized with many specific rules of protocol or it can be spontaneous and strictly social. This module offers students the opportunity to explore celebration and ceremony as a theme, and to explore dance in particular within this context. Thinking of dance in this context will help students to understand the role of dance in most cultures and its relevance in their own lives.

In this module students could:

• Focus on one major community-wide celebration such as Mardi Gras or Québec Carnivale, and examine the dance, its roots, and its relationship to other aspects of the celebration.
• Examine the wedding dance in various cultures, perhaps relying on people in the community for accurate cultural and historical information.
• Learn some traditional dances connected to various ceremonies or celebrations.
• Research ceremonial dances that are highly spiritual or sacred, examining reasons why these dances are often not performed for an audience or the camera.
• Examine "Ceremony" or "Celebration" as a theme in contemporary choreography.
• Examine their own community for examples of ceremonial or celebratory dances.
• Create a dance intended to celebrate some aspect of their school or community lives.

11. Social and Global Issues

Many contemporary choreographers explore social or global issues through their dance creations. Dance is particularly suited for the exploration of these human concerns because the body itself is the dancer's instrument. In other words, because there is little distance between the live dancer and the audience, dance can be particularly humanizing if the choreographer/dancer chooses it to be. In this module, students will explore dance as a creative, nonverbal means of expressing intellectual and emotional ideas about social and global issues.

In this module students could:

• View and discuss contemporary dances that are the choreographer's response to social and global issues.
• Examine how live dance can affect an audience powerfully because of the lack of distance between dancer and audience.
• Look for similarities and differences between live dance, theatre, and performance art.
• Compare the work of two choreographers whose dances reflect social or global concerns.
• Create their own dances in response to social and/or global concerns.

12. World Dance

The late twentieth century has been a time of great change and expanding knowledge because of global communications. People know more than ever before about each other's cultures and ways of life. This has brought about changes in art forms around the world, as cultures and individual artists are influenced by one another and by information that is now readily accessible. In this module students will explore various dances from around the world and the effects they have had on one another.

In this module students could:

• Examine the effects of world cultures on several facets of contemporary popular culture, such as popular music and dance.
• View and discuss a selection of dances from around the world.
• Examine the work of contemporary Canadian choreographers for the influence of various world cultures.
• Research the effect of global communication systems on dance and other art forms.
• Organize a formal debate on the issue of "cultural appropriation" and examine how it applies to contemporary dance.
• Examine the meaning of "cultural authenticity" and how it applies when artists are borrowing from each other's cultures.
• Create their own dances in response to what they have learned about the dance of other cultures, reflecting thought about the issues of appropriation and authenticity.

13. Choreographers: Messengers and Commentators

Choreography is an essential part of Dance 10, 20, 30 as students create their own dances and view the dances of other choreographers. Not all choreographers are social critics; however, in this module, students will learn that some choreographers comment on society through their work, and some express their own ideas about changing society for the future.

In this module students could:

• Learn about various roles of messengers and commentators throughout history (minstrels, politicians, philosophers, journalists, visual artists, etc.).
• Research and present to the rest of the class examples of famous "message" speeches, songs, monologues, etc., perhaps in role.
• Study in-depth the role and processes of the choreographer.
• Study the dances of choreographers who are particularly interested in social criticism or commentary.
• Study the ways different kinds of social criticism and commentary can be incorporated in dance -- humour, satire, parody, realism, fantasy, narrative, etc.
• Create their own dances that are either social comments or "messages" for the future.
• Create satires in dance.

14. Dance: Personal Visions

Dance ideas, as in theatre, can be developed either collaboratively or in an individual manner. For example, a group of dancers might get together and work collaboratively on a composition that explores, say, some aspect of popular culture. The dance might develop with input from all dancers and without emphasis on any one person's ideas. On the other hand, a choreographer might work alone or assemble a group of dancers to create a dance that reflects only his or her personal vision. In this module students will focus on personal vision, exploring its meaning for choreographers and for themselves in creating their own dances.

In this module students could:

• Explore the meaning of the word "vision" as it applies to artists (as related to world view, personal aesthetic, thematic intentions, etc.).
• Discuss the personal visions of several choreographers, as expressed through their dance and in interviews, reviews, books of criticism, etc.
• Compare and contrast the personal visions of a choreographer and other artists working in the same historical time period (musicians, visual artists, filmmakers, etc.).
• Explore the arts as propaganda, perhaps in a particular political regime, and examine this in relation to the concept of personal vision.
• Examine their own developing personal visions or world views, the factors that have influenced them, and factors that might influence them in the future.
• Create dances that explore or express their own personal visions.
• Create a dance collaboratively and compare the experience with that of working individually.

15. Styles of Dance

Style refers to those characteristics that make something distinctive. Style might be personal (the style of a particular dancer, for example) or it might refer to distinctive characteristics within a larger group -- a particular style of ballet or jazz, for example. In this module, students will explore style in dance. They will also look at their own developing dance styles, both as dancers and choreographers.

In this module students could:

• Discuss style in music they listen to, focusing on the characteristics that make one band different from another.
• Examine the meaning of style as it applies to fashion, furniture design, architecture, etc.
• Examine the style of a well-known dancer, identifying distinguishing characteristics.
• Examine the style of a well-known choreographer, identifying distinguishing characteristics.
• Examine various styles of one or more dance types -- styles of ballet, styles of highland dancing, etc.
• Determine what is unique about their own dancing and/or choreography (personal style).
• Look at style in other art forms -- Emily Carr's style, for example.
  
• Create a dance that reflects the style of an artist in another medium -- a dance that reflects Pablo Picasso's style, for example.
• Create a dance in a particular style.
• Create a dance that reflects their own style.

16. Stories, Legends, and Myths

Throughout history, stories, legends, and myths have provided a way for people to explore human behaviour, pass on details of important events to future generations, and encapsulate the morays and values of a society. They are imaginative, often make use of strong images and symbols, and have dramatic story lines or narrative. It is no wonder, then, that many well-known dances are based on these narratives. In addition, many contemporary artists, including dance artists, make use of imagery from ancient stories, legends, and myths when they are exploring societal values and conventions. In this module, students will examine the influence of stories, legends, and myths on choreographers and use them as starting-points for their own dance compositions.

In this module students could:

• Study stories, legends, and myths from several time periods and cultures, looking for common characteristics and differences.
• Study stories, legends, and myths as purveyors of societal values and beliefs.
• View the work of contemporary choreographers who incorporate images, narrative, symbols, etc. from ancient stories, legends, and myths.
• Choose a story, legend, or myth with potential for movement and improvise to discover new ways of moving.
• Choose a theme such as "portrayals of women" or "power in society" and examine it through stories, legends, and myths.
• Create a dance that incorporates or responds to findings about a theme such as "portrayals of women" or "power in society" in stories, legends, and myths.
• Study a ballet or other type of dance that is based on the narrative of a story, legend, or myth.

17. Dance and Nature

Artists have long explored humankind's relationship with nature. Naturally, that relationship has changed over time and varies from culture to culture. In early times, one's relationship with nature was a matter of spiritual and physical survival. This is still true today in many cultures throughout the world, but as societies become urbanized, people's relationship with nature becomes more and more distant. However, as the threat from environmental hazards increases, there is a renewed interest, particularly on the part of young people, in the environment and humankind's relationship with it. In this module, students will study the changing relationship between humans and nature as explored through dance.

In this module students could:

• Study nature-related dances from various cultures around the world, determining why they are so prevalent.
• Research the origins of various folk dances related in some way to nature -- harvest dances, for example -- and learn some of the dances.
• Study the dances of Aboriginal people from around the world, focusing on the various cultures' relationships with nature and on how the dances reflect those relationships.
• View a video or live performance of a traditional powwow dance and study its origins.
• Look at the work of contemporary choreographers who incorporate environmental themes, focusing on the different movements, styles, and ways of expressing ideas.
• Use an environmental theme for the composition of their own dances.
• Incorporate objects from nature as props in a dance composition, examining the relationship between the objects and the dance movements, and meanings associated with the objects.

18. Economics of Dance

There are two ways for students to look at economics of dance in this module. Firstly, students can study historical dances associated with class groups, such as peasantry and aristocracy, in various parts of the world (Europe, Russia, China, etc.). Students can examine how societal influences affected the dances and how the societal groups influenced each other's dances over time. Secondly, students can study economics as related to contemporary dance and dancers -- issues such as taxation, public versus corporate funding, status of the artist, etc. This module would be a particularly appropriate module for students to conduct interviews, case studies, etc. with various dance artists in their own and other communities.

In this module students could:

• Choose an historical period (the Renaissance in Northern Europe, for example) and study the society, its class structure, and prevalent dances associated with various groups within the society.
• Choose a place (China, for example) and look at dance through the ages, paying attention to changes in economic/class groups within the society and resulting changes in their dances.
• Do a comparison survey of contemporary dance companies in the community, Saskatchewan, and Canada to determine how they are funded and how they foresee their financial futures.
• Research the history, roles, and responsibilities of public arts funding agencies such as the Saskatchewan Arts Board and the Canada Council.
• Examine the historical role of "the patron" in supporting dancers and dance companies (patron might refer to a wealthy individual, the church, royalty, etc.).
• Debate the statement, "The government should/should not play a role in funding arts organizations such as dance and theatre companies".
• Invite a freelance dance artist to the class to discuss his/her life as an artist, how he/she earns a living, how he/she obtains work with dance companies, etc.

Dance 30 Independent Study Module

At the 30 level, some students might be willing and able to design their own independent study module. Independent study can be achieved through an individualized dance project or a work study program, whereby the student might work for a period of time with a dance professional or an organization in the community. Fifty hours is the maximum time recommended for the independent study module. Projects must address the foundational objectives of Dance 30. Detailed information on both individualized dance projects and work study experiences can be found in Appendix D.

In the independent study module students could:

• Choreograph a dance with or for younger students in the school, and work with the students to have them learn and, perhaps, present the dance (individualized dance project).
• Complete an in-depth research project on a dancer, dance type or style, dance company, historical period, etc. and present their research in some unique way (individualized dance project).
• Work for a period of time with a professional dance teacher in the community (work study program).
• Work with the local Arts Council on plans to bring a dance company to the community for a performance and school workshops; assist with raising funds, publicizing the event, arranging itinerary, etc. (work study program).