Planning for Students' Dance-making

Dance-making activities focus on developing students' abilities to express themselves in the language of dance. Usually, dance-making activities will span several lessons. Middle years students should be encouraged to create dances using their own ideas and experiences as starting-points; thus, their dance experiences become personally meaningful. Students will need support in developing their ideas or themes so that they go beyond pantomime or mimicry and address the objective of personal expression through dance.

The five steps described in this planning section outline ways teachers can plan lessons and assist students in dance-making. The steps allow for the incorporation of a variety of instructional methods; for example, brainstorming, discussion, co-operative learning groups, problem-solving, demonstration, concept mapping, reflective discussion, synectics, focused imaging, and so on.

Using this dance-making process is not the only way to plan and assist students' dance-making. Some teachers may already have their own preferred ways of planning. Whatever process is used, the teacher should include the students in the planning as appropriate and keep the foundational objectives in mind.

The five steps show how teachers and students can develop themes and ideas in dance. The key is for the teacher and students to be familiar with the dance elements (which are the language of dance) and to ask questions that encourage full exploration of dance concepts. The steps also show how teachers and students can use movements as a starting-point (right-hand column), rather than a theme or idea (left-hand column).

Steps One to Four focus on planning for dance-making. Step Five is included to help teachers structure the dance-making lesson.

At first, teachers and students may wish to follow the steps closely of "Planning for Students' Dance-making." However, strictly following these steps may inhibit either the teachers' or students' intuitions and inspirations so valued in the creative process. Use the steps as a guide and explore any diversions that might arise. Teachers may find that individuals or groups of students with experience in dance-making will be able to follow the steps independently with little guidance from the teacher.

Teacher Information A "dance- making lesson" refers to any portion of a dance class in which students create dances. Dance-making lessons may take more or less time than a regular class period.

The Dance-making Process At a Glance

Step One Starting-points When planning for students' dance-making, the teacher and students might choose to start working from a theme or idea or they may start with movement itself.

Step Two Brainstorming Once a starting-point has been chosen, teachers and students may use discussion and brainstorming to arrive at the movements they will explore.

Step Three Finding the Movements For Exploration Teachers and students may choose to make concept maps or webs of possible movements for further exploration. Over the next few lessons, students will go on to improvise, explore, develop and further refine their movements, working from the suggestions on the concept maps.

Step Four Taking Stock At this point, students and teachers might need to focus on small parts of the concept maps of Step Three for further exploration. Learning objectives, particularly those related to the elements of dance and principles of composition, will be addressed.

Step Five Structuring Dance-making Lessons Dance-making lessons should be structured to allow for warm-up, exploration and development, sequencing the dance phrase, cool-down and reflection.

The Dance-making Process in Detail

Step One
Starting-points

Starting with Themes or Ideas Ideas to inspire dance-making can come from many sources: personal experiences and feelings, the environment, observation, the imagination, memories, current affairs, the other arts, and so on. Not all themes or ideas lend themselves to movement. Teachers and students should look for themes or ideas that have images suggesting movement. It should be noted that some themes or ideas might not seem to have potential for movement at first glance but may prove stimulating upon reflection and discussion. With a little experience, teachers and students will soon discover which themes or ideas inspire movement and are easily explored in dance.

Starting with Movement Ideas for dances need not begin with an external idea or theme. Some choreographers approach dance in a more formalistic way by manipulating and exploring movement itself. In this case, the choreographer's focus is on the elements and structures of dance. For example, instead of creating a dance using a theme such as dreams, the choreographer might begin by using movement to explore "energy used to resist gravity."

Teacher Information The dance elements are the language of dance. For detailed information on the elements of dance and how they relate to middle years students, see Appendix A: The Elements of Dance

Step Two
Brainstorming

Once a starting-point has been chosen, teachers and students may use discussion and brainstorming to arrive at the movements they will explore.

Starting with a Theme or Idea If the teacher and students selected the starting-point of "dreams", for example, they would begin by brainstorming ideas about dreams. Dreams running flying mazes tangled nightmares swimming creatures stories monsters elevators disconnected colour images falling black and white people characters stairs friends places lacy peaceful fantasy floating gardens buildings

Starting with Movement When starting with movement, this step is usually omitted and planning would begin with Step Three. However, the teacher and students might wish to begin with a discussion about the starting-point. For example, if the teacher and students selected the starting-point of "energy used to resist gravity", they might begin with a discussion on gravity and how it affects movement.

Step Three
Finding the Movements for Exploration

Starting with a Theme or Idea Having decided on the theme or idea, the teacher and students can ask questions in order to make concept maps or webs of possible movements for further exploration over the next few dance-making lessons. The questions should ask students to associate core characteristics of the theme or idea with concepts related to the dance elements: actions, body, dynamics, relationships and space. In doing this, students will be encouraged to go beyond mimicry in their movement explorations. For example, if from the theme "dreams" the teacher and students selected "nightmares" and "characters" they would then suggest action, body, dynamic, relationship and space concepts associated with these words. Students could respond to questions such as "What actions does the word nightmare make you think of? How do you think you would do the actions (dynamics)?" Teachers should note that students may not associate an idea or theme with every element. Although all elements are present, some elements may predominate for some themes. Two sample concept maps follow below.

Starting with Movement When using movement as inspiration for dance-making, teachers and students may still ask questions in order to make concept maps or webs of possible movements to explore over the next few lessons. For example, if the teacher and students selected "energy used to resist gravity", they would then brainstorm movement ideas from that concept. Two sample concept maps follow in this column.

Over the next few dance-making lessons students should go on to improvise, explore, develop and further refine their movements, working from the suggestions on the concept maps.

Step Four
Taking Stock

At this point, the teacher and students might need to focus on small parts of the concept maps of Step Three for further exploration in dance. This will be necessary if the concept maps have too many ideas to work with in a single lesson. The teacher will also need to determine learning objectives appropriate for the concept maps. Some learning objectives may have been determined previously. Other learning objectives, particularly those related to the elements of dance and the principles of composition, may be more easily determined at this point. After the learning objectives have been set, the teacher can design tasks specific to the objectives. The teacher might want to involve the students in this.

Planning from a Theme or Idea The learning objectives focusing on the element of dynamics and the composition principle of climax and resolution might be particularly appropriate for the concept map of "nightmares." Teachers may find other elements and principles that work just as well and would then select other learning objectives.

Planning from Movement The learning objectives focusing on the elements of dynamics and space might be particularly appropriate for the concept map of "energy used to resist gravity." Teachers may find other elements and principles that work just as well and would then select other learning objectives.

Before structuring the lesson, teachers may want to step back and consider the following:

• the ideas from the concept maps that would be of interest to the students
• the foundational and learning objectives
• the Common Essential Learnings objectives
• instructional approaches, the adaptive dimension and evaluation.

Step Five Structuring the Lesson

The teacher will now use the information from the concept maps to plan the following essential parts of the dance lesson. These five parts apply to all dance-making, whether the students are planning from a theme or idea, or from movements.

The Warm-up Exploration and Development Sequencing The Cool-down Time for Reflection

The Warm-up

The warm-up uses activities to:

• warm the body's muscles and joints
• encourage concentration and body awareness
• improve or teach new movement skills.

Both locomotor (travelling) and non-locomotor (non-travelling) actions are used in warm-up activities. The material taken from the concept maps which will be developed later in the lesson can be used, although this is not necessary. Warm-up activities can be repeated or extended from lesson to lesson.

Exploration and Development

In this part of the lesson the students will explore their starting-points based on the concept maps. Students should be encouraged to improvise, experiment with and create their own movements in response to the tasks set by the teacher and students. The teacher acts as a guide and observer. He or she encourages the students' development of the movements, ensures that a movement is fully experienced, makes suggestions and responds to what the students do.

Sequencing

The movements that the students explored and developed will now be ordered and refined to create dance phrases and compositions. Not all the movements will be used, just the ones that best convey the students' intentions. Students should consider each movement and ensure that it contributes to the whole dance composition. When sequencing movements and dance phrases, the students should be encouraged to use their understanding of the principles of composition. Again, the teacher acts as a guide and observer, encouraging and responding to what the students do.

Sometimes several dance lessons may be needed for students to refine and complete their dance creations. Students should be given the opportunity to sequence their movements in every dance-making lesson as this is essential in order for students' dance experiences to have meaning.

The Cool-down

The cool-down uses slow, stretching activities to help the students' heart rates and concentration return to normal. Movements from the warm-up activities might be adapted for cool-down activities. As in the warm-up, activities can be repeated from lesson to lesson.

Reflection

Reflection should occur throughout the lesson. Students should be given time to think about their own work, clarify their intentions, refine their work and decide if they are satisfied with their work. Do they find that what they're doing is interesting to them? Do they think their expressions are clear to others? If not, how could they make their dance expressions more interesting for themselves or clearer to others?

At the end of the dance lesson, students should show their work to each other. They should be given the opportunity to look at, describe and discuss their peers' work. This can be done in several ways: with half the class watching the other half, with small groups demonstrating to the class, with partners demonstrating to each other, etc.

Caution To Maintain objectivity, limit the students' comments to observations about the movement itself and discourage comments that judge the students. For example, the comment "I liked John's dance" would be better said as "I thought the jumps in John's dance were interesting." (see Adapting Responding to Dance presentations for the discussion of Student Work, Included in this curriculum guide.

Tips for Teaching the Dance-making Lesson

Dance-making lessons require students to be active learners. Students are experiencing, gaining knowledge, experimenting and facilitating at the same time. Often there is a social dimension where students are working with partners or in groups. To facilitate students' learning in the creative dance lesson, teachers will need to be interactive -- constantly coaching, guiding and discussing with the students. Following are tips that will help the teacher:*

* "Tips for Teaching the Dance-making Lesson" was adapted from Physical Education Elementary School Dance and Rhythmical Activities, A Teacher Handbook for Kindergarten, Division I and II, Saskatchewan Education, 1981.

• Set a warm and accepting atmosphere where students feel safe and free to take risks. Show enthusiasm. Join the students in the activities whenever possible to help establish trust between the teacher and the students.
• Set ground rules to keep the lesson running smoothly. For example, students should know they are to start and stop on a signal from the teacher, students should know where the boundaries of the dance space are, etc.
• Establish general space awareness early to ensure students do not bump into each other.
• Use themes and topics of interest to the students.
• Use the voice effectively. Coach the students while they move, but be clear and loud enough so that they can hear. Say words in a manner that conveys their meanings, thereby encouraging students to respond in a particular way; for example,
  s t r e e e e e t c h.
• Use images to stimulate the students' imaginations and develop their movement qualities. Use a rich vocabulary of adjectives and adverbs. Use a variety of images to encourage students to explore several possibilities. Remember that imagery can also limit students if used incorrectly. Do not ask students to "be" something or you will get mimicry rather than movement exploration.
• Use visual aids to get ideas across to students whenever possible.
• Use percussion instruments and music to help stimulate the students to move. For example, crashing cymbals could encourage students to leap high off of the ground.
• Ensure that even in dance's simplest form, students have a complete dance experience.
• Emphasize the fact that stillness is important. Stillness is not a state of "not doing", but is rather a state of ready alertness -- a mental and emotional preparation for the ensuing activity.
• Use repetition. Students get satisfaction from learning a phrase of movement and repeating it.
• Make the lesson challenging. Demand excellence.
• Be generous with praise for the students' quality efforts.

Accompanying students in their dance will help motivate them to move. The following discusses three methods of accompaniment: percussion instruments, music and student-created accompaniment.*

Percussion Instruments

Percussion instruments are well suited to the creative dance lesson. The teacher can stimulate the students to move by using a variety of instruments, and by adapting the tempo and accents to suit the students' movement explorations.

The following are some examples of how percussion instruments can be used.

• Drums, blocks, claves and tambourines can be used for movements that require short, strong sounds.
• Tambourines, maracas, castanets and bells can be used for movements that require long sounds.
• Cymbals, gongs and triangles can be used for movements that require soft, sustained sounds.

Music

Music is an effective way to motivate students to move. Music can be used as background to enhance movement that has been already structured, or the movement * The section on accompaniment was adapted from Physical Education Elementary School Dance and Rhythmical Activities, A Teacher Handbook for Kindergarten, Division I and II, Saskatchewan Education, 1981. can be sequenced according to the musical structure. If music is to be used to create a mood or an atmosphere, simply put the music on and let it play. If music is being used for a more structured purpose, then it must be analysed. Teachers will need to identify the time signature, the tempo and the number of beats in a musical phrase.

Once the music is analysed, the teacher can set the dance tasks, keeping in mind the musical structure. For example, if the music has a 4/4 time signature and the lesson concept is "directions in space", the task might state that the students are to travel in a straight line, changing directions every eight beats. When introducing music to the students, begin by having them listen to the beat of the music.

Selecting Music

Selecting music is usually a matter of personal preference. The following will provide some guidance.

• Select music that makes you feel like moving.
• Use a variety of musical styles during the year.
• Be mindful of music with words that might elicit movements of a mimetic nature.
• Select music that will elicit the desired movement qualities.

Records, tapes or compact discs can be used in the dance lesson. Records offer teachers the ability to find a musical selection quickly but they tend to scratch easily. Tapes are more durable than records but finding musical selections can be time consuming. (When using tapes, cue the tape to the musical selection before the lesson and use only one music selection on a cassette in one lesson. Use the tape counter to easily rewind to the chosen spot.) Compact discs are probably the best. They scratch less easily than records and musical selections can be cued to play immediately.

Caution Teachers should keep in mind that some dance educators feel that music should be used sparingly. They claim that music tends to structure movement, and when students are involved in finding their own unique solution to a problem, their breadth of discovery may be limited by the imposition of a metric rhythm. Also, beginning students of dance tend to let music dictate their quality of movement instead of making their own choices as to the quality of movement they desire.

Student-created Accompaniment

There may be times when students will choose to accompany their dances with vocal sounds, body percussion, their own soundscape or their own musical composition. Consult the Music section of this curriculum guide for instructions on "Creating Sound Compositions in the Classroom."

Dance, Societies and Cultures

In cultures past and present, dance has been a means of expressing emotions, ideas and customs that have significance in the daily lives and history of people. The dances expressed themes such as work and conflict. They were, and in some cases still are, closely related to a people's religion, ceremonies, spirituality, rituals and celebrations. The study of these dances affords a glimpse into a people and their way of life. It is a way of examining a people's values and beliefs.

It is not intended that studying social and cultural dances should be only an historical investigation. Dance exists today as valid expressions of a people. In fact, though altered through time, many of the current dances retain vestiges of the past. Therefore, learning about social and cultural dances includes studying the historical and present day aspects of the culture or society. In addition, students should examine how these dances may reflect the culture or society and, finally, they should experience the dances. As students actively participate in exploring the culture or society, they gain new insights and come to appreciate the significance of the dances in an authentic manner.

Depending on the students' levels and abilities, the following topics can be considered by the teacher when planning activities exploring the dances of various cultures and societies:

• the origin of the dance to be learned
• the purpose of the dance (for example, social, ritual, ceremonial, celebratory, occupational, etc.)
• the geography and climate of the country of origin
• the beliefs and customs of the culture or society
• any historical factors that may have influenced the dance
• the symbolism, if any, used in the dance.

Teaching a Set Dance

As in dance-making lessons, teaching a set dance such as a cultural or social dance requires teachers to plan warm-up and cool-down activities. In this case though, the teacher may wish to use steps of the dance as the basis of the warm-up activities. In this way the teacher can develop the skills the students will be using later in the dance lesson. The following tips will help in teaching a set dance.* *"Teaching a Set Dance" was adapted from the following two sources: From Folk Dance to Disco Dances, A Teacher Handbook for Divisions II, III and IV, Saskatchewan Education, 1980; and Physical Education: Elementary School Dance and Rhythmical Activities, A Teacher Handbook for Kindergarten, Division I and II, Saskatchewan Education, 1981.

• Explain that dances can be broken down into two parts: the steps of the dance or the actual movements made, and the floor pattern or the pathway made when the dancers move. Begin by teaching the steps of the dance. Each step is described and demonstrated separately. The steps are done slowly at first, without the music, and then at the proper tempo.
• Teach one part of the basic step pattern at a time. When two parts have been learned, combine them in order to establish continuity of the dance.
• Explain the floor pattern next. The dancers walk through the floor pattern. Then the step pattern and the floor pattern are combined; first without music, then with music. Remember that not all dances have a set floor pattern.
• The whole dance is done to music. Repeat the dance several times in order that all students can be more fluent in the dance and so they can enjoy it. In addition, the following tips will help the class run smoothly.
• Use "key" or one-syllable words to cue the steps (walks, hops, stamps, etc.) and directional changes (sideways, forward, backward, right, left), and to provide musical alertness for beginning (ready). Verbalization in this manner helps students keep the main rhythmic pattern and encourages them to gain a sense of the whole.
• Overlook small errors in favour of establishing a movement sense for the dance itself -- its transitions, its vigour and uniqueness.
• Encourage the students to identify the musical phrases in the dance. Most traditional dances are phrased similarly to the music. Movement memory rarely fails when one is familiar with the accents and general qualities of the music.
• Encourage vigorous activity so that students become involved in physical activity and have little time to worry about such things as who they are with.
• Encourage opportunities for solo, line, circle, scatter or group formations of three and four. This reduces the thinking that one must have a partner to dance.
• Restrict choice when partners are needed (ask students to face the person standing opposite them, the person closest to them, etc.).
• Encourage frequent and rapid changes of partners.

Working with Choreographers and Dancers

There may be opportunities for students to work occasionally with a guest choreographer or dancer in the school or community. Students at the Middle Level may also have a chance to work as choreographers themselves, creating dances for their classmates or younger students. Teachers are encouraged to provide these experiences to their students whenever possible.

When working with guest choreographers and dancers, the teacher should:

• Arrange for a meeting to discuss appropriate learning objectives and expectations with the choreographers and dancers.
• Ask choreographers and dancers to consider the three components of the Arts Education program when planning their session. For example, as well as the actual dancing, the choreographers might discuss with the students the source of their ideas, the factors that have affected the various changes in their work, and traditions or new directions in the particular dance form. When a student is working as a choreographer with peers or younger dancers, have the student consider the following:
• What might the particular student dancers be reasonably able to accomplish at that grade level?
• What safety factors must be kept in mind?
• Have warm-up and cool-down activities been planned?
• Is the music appropriate for a school setting and will it motivate the dancers to move?
• Is there a plan established for working through and sequencing the various parts of the dance?