Time: 6-8 weeks
This unit is designed to help students develop awareness that dance in its many forms is a part of the life in students' own community. This unit focuses on the students' understanding of the role of dance in daily life, in various cultures and time periods.
Sample Topic: "Dance in Different Neighbourhoods"
Suggested Resources:
Starter List of Activities
1. Introductory Activities
Ask the students if they have attended events where dancing was taking place. What types of dancing did students see?
Have students examine the kinds of dance found in the community or the surrounding communities. Is anyone in the community a dancer or a dance teacher? Invite a guest into the classroom to talk about the dance form in which he or she is involved. What kind of dance is it? Ballet? Ballroom? Collect pictures, stories, and music about the dance form. Set up a display. Ask the guest to teach or show a short dance to the students.
Ask the students if they have watched people dancing on television. If so, what types of dances have students seen? Can they describe the dances? How are these dances the same, or different than the dances seen in students' own community?
Discuss the different types of neighbourhoods students might find in a large city. Compare some of those neighbourhoods with the students' neighbourhoods. Focus on the types of buildings, jobs, and activities one might see rather than using more value-laden descriptors such as poor or rich.
Read stories and show pictures of children and families in both rural and urban settings. Remind students that all types of dances are seen in both city and country settings, but some styles are more often seen in one community or the other. Talk about the types of dances that students might typically see in a country community social event, such as line dances, square dances, or polkas. Talk about the types of dances that might typically be seen in large cities such as a ballet performance or perhaps hip hop on the street.
2. Main Activities
Learn a dance inspired by a country setting, such as a square dance or line dance.
Learn a dance inspired by a city setting, such as street dancing or hip hop. Talk about how big city life influenced some popular dance forms. Watch a music video that demonstrates some basic hip hop moves and have the students practise several movements to create short dances.
Invite community resource people if available, to assist in learning the different dance styles.
3. Concluding Activities
Invite people from the community to take part in the line dance or square dance that the students learned. Or, visit a seniors' centre to demonstrate each of the students' dances. Talk about the dances that were popular when the seniors were younger. Invite seniors to demonstrate or teach some of the old time dances to the students.
Teacher Information:
At each grade, students deserve to experience a mini-unit or unit of study that uses a dancer, choreographer, company, dance form, or cultural heritage style as its focal point.
The teacher could select a local dancer or dance company if possible, or any Saskatchewan or Canadian dancer and company. Remember that, although resources at hand might be limited, this unit should include research. Consult with your school or school division resource person.
The class and/or teacher can write to dance companies for information. Alternatively, the teacher may order books on interlibrary loan. Dance Saskatchewan Incorporated in Saskatoon has an excellent library of dance resources, as does Dance Collection Danse in Ontario. Consult Arts Education: A Bibliography for the Elementary Level (2003) for contact information for these two organizations.
Many dance companies have Internet websites with images and biographical information. Canadian and international dance magazines also contain information.
The following is a suggested way that a dance study unit or mini-unit can be conducted.
Sample Topic: "Cultural Celebrations"
Suggested Resources:
Starter List of Activities
1. Introductory Activities
Plan to have the students investigate the various cultures represented in the community or surrounding communities. Do any of these cultures have dance groups? Choose a culture to explore more fully.
Set up a display about the culture. Include pictures of the traditional dress and the country of origin if appropriate.
Read legends or stories about the culture. Talk about how cultures have different traditions including clothing, food, celebrations, and dances.
Listen to music of the culture. Clap and move to the rhythm of the music. Talk about the various ways that the dances and music are used in that culture. View video examples if possible.
2. Main Activities
Invite people to the classroom to show the culture's dance. Learn one of the dances demonstrated.
Investigate dance within the cultures of First Nation and Métis peoples. Learn “The Round Dance” (Nakota, Plains Cree), or learn “The Duck Dance” (Métis). Refer to the dances contained in Let's Dance: Indian Social and Cultural Dances or Métis Dances Kit.
3. Concluding Activities
Arrange for students to view dances at a community cultural event. Have students demonstrate their dances at a school cultural heritage day or assembly.