Time: 6-8 weeks
This unit is designed to help students develop an awareness of various dancers, choreographers, dance companies, and dance styles.
Teacher Note:
Unit 4 has been developed as a sample unit for grade 4 (available on CD-ROM and on Saskatchewan Learning website).
Sample Topic: "A Dancer's Life"
Suggested Resources:
Starter List of Activities
1. Introductory Activities
Create a list of the various dance styles that are familiar to students. Ask students to find out if there are dance styles missed and add them to the list.
If any of the students study at a private dance school or cultural dance group outside school, ask them if they would be willing to prepare a short presentation for the class to inform the rest of the class about what is involved in becoming proficient in their dance style.
Conduct an interview with a dancer in person, by telephone, e-mail, or letter. Or view video interviews of dancers from various cultures or contemporary dancers from any dance style. Determine questions in advance regarding the dancers' training and dance experiences. Try to discover what is involved when dancers train on a regular basis and how the dancers stay motivated to continue such strenuous physically demanding work.
Read biographies, excerpts, or stories about dancers' lives and training experiences.
2. Main Activities
Divide students into groups and put a list of different dance styles in a hat (e.g., jazz, ballet, modern, hip hop, First Nations, Métis, Irish, Ukrainian). Have each group pick a dance form from the hat. Have each group research a prominent dancer, choreographer, or company working in the dance style that the group has selected.
Have each group create a display of their findings and present their work to the class in a creative way. For example, one group might create a PowerPoint presentation to present their research. Another group might use drama strategies such as interviewing other students in role as the dancers researched. Students might do a fictional news broadcast from backstage after a performance. Others might create a newspaper with photos and articles about the dancers.
3. Concluding Activities
Attend, if possible, a live dance rehearsal or performance. Following the performance, discuss the experience using an approach outlined in Responding to Arts Expressions.
Invite both young and established dancers and choreographers to provide a hands-on workshop and talk about their experiences.
Sample Topic: "Dancer/Choreographer Peggy Baker"
Teacher Information:
At each grade, students should experience a mini-unit or unit of study that uses a dancer, choreographer, company, dance style, or cultural heritage style as its focal point.
Any Canadian dancer who would interest grade 4 students may be selected for study. This sample artist study of a contemporary Canadian modern dancer gives teachers an example of how students can explore and learn about any dancer. Other ballet and contemporary Canadian choreographer studies might include:
- Robin Poitras from New Dance Horizons in Regina
- Karen Kain
- Ted Robinson
- Evelyn Hart
- Margie Gillis
- Rex Harrington
- Veronica Tennant
- Interviews in the Dancemakers video series include David Earle, Danny Grossman, Christopher House, James Kudelka, Ginette Laurin, Constantin Patsalas.
The following is a suggested way that a dance artist study unit or mini-unit can be conducted. This sample uses dancer/choreographer Peggy Baker.
Suggested Resources:
Starter List of Activities
1. Introductory Activities
Watch videos of dances performed by Canadian choreographers such as Peggy Baker. Brainstorm the qualities of movement that are commonly found in one or more of Baker's dances.
Select a few shapes, movements, phrases, and/or qualities from Baker's dances to explore. Attempt to recreate the movements noting which body parts are emphasized.
Read to the class excerpts of biographical information or stories about Peggy Baker.
2. Main Activities
In groups, have students conduct a research project on Peggy Baker.
Study one of Baker's dances and list the qualities of movement found in that dance. Discuss some of the ideas that are seen in her work. Use one or more approaches described in Responding to Arts Expressions when viewing the dance. In groups, or in partners, create a response through dance to Baker's work.
Learn a phrase from one of Baker's pieces as accurately as possible. Create a variation for it to combine with the original. Students may also want to create an opposite phrase to the original.
Have the class write a letter to the Dance Collection Danse resource library in Ottawa or the National Ballet of Canada to see if information is available on Baker's life. If students would like to send a letter to Peggy Baker or another choreographer, they could add their own questions to the following:
Ask groups of students to research companies and choreographers with whom Baker has worked. Students could do a short presentation or make posters to put up around the classroom.
Search for pictures of Baker's performances. If possible, find a description of one of her pieces with a series of pictures to match. Have students re-create these pictures with own bodies, starting from and returning to a perfect alignment position. Have them insert transitions between poses to create a response to the dance.
From one of Peggy Baker's performances, pick out a movement or phrase that is repeated. Examine this movement and decide why the movement was so important to the piece. Explore the movement and use it as a basis for a dance. Students may do the same by picking out two very contrasting movements. Guide the students throughout the dance-making process.
3. Concluding Activities
Watch everyone's variation of Baker's dance phrase and discuss which elements of dance were retained and which were not. Be sure to use terminology from the elements of dance, relating to dynamics (e.g., speed), relationships (e.g., are you with anyone?), and space (e.g., using a little or a lot of it).
Research dance awards such as:
Find out who started the awards, who sponsors them, and who has received them.
Have groups of students each study a different dancer/choreographer, particularly those who have worked with Peggy Baker. Have them design posters with important information and pictures to display in the classroom. Key points may include:
Ask a modern dancer from the community to talk to the students about his/her dance form and why dancers dance.
Record the students' dance creations inspired by Baker's movement and compare them to Baker's original works. Which elements were the same and which were different?
Have students record, in a journal, a description of Baker's movements. Note any feelings and expressions that were important.
Have students select a dancer/ choreographer of their own to research.
Find out how Peggy Baker influenced the National Ballet of Canada.