Creative Dance
Creative Dance
Creative Dance
An Improvisational sequence
changes movements, music, tempo and/or movement qualities and forces the student
to focus non-verbally while following the instructor instantly, utilizing Improvisation.
During sequences, students remain in Personal Space while body isolations, stretches,
rhythmic footwork and balance are used in a
sequence.
Sequences should be non-verbal, and last the
duration of the chosen song. There is no set
number of repetitions for the movements
described in this sequence, as the number of
repetitions would be dictated by the length of
music chosen. The choice of music will dictate
tempo, emotional feeling and movement quality of
the Dance Break.
The sequence described next will be an
Improvisational sequence, so the students will
follow the teacher's movements and mimic them.
Any musical selection may be used for this
sequence.
At the end of the sequence, students will follow
the teacher in balancing on one leg, but when the teachers stops dancing the students
will remain silently balanced!
The teacher will then indicate for them to silently take their seat.
If the teacher uses the same music every time and keeps the same number of
repetitions of each movement, the sequence will then become a Choreographed
sequence, which can be memorized by the students and even become student-led.
Dance Break Lesson
Objective:
Students will be introduced to the
concepts of Personal Space, Non-Verbal
Communication and Improvisation.
verbally, and communicates meaning non-verbally. Our body energy is finite, and being
verbal uses lots of energy. Dancers focus energy in muscles to learn and remember
movements quickly, and do not waste energy by letting it come out of their mouths.
This is powerful and new, because students do not usually move non-verbally.
Improvisation - Just Do It! No thinking, planning or stopping. This is a life skill.
SAMPLE SEQUENCE:
This will be an Improvisational sequence, so students will follow the teacher and mimic
the teacher's motions. At the end of the sequence, students will follow the teacher in
balancing on one leg, but when the teacher stops and goes to shut off the music, the
students will remain balancing silently! They should remain silently balanced until the
teacher motions for them to take their seat.
Students stand beside their desks with feet together and hands by their sides.
When the sequence begins, only the body part isolated should be moving,
no other part.
The music begins
The first isolation is tapping the balls of the feet on the floor one at a time,
flexing each foot
The second isolation is to pick up one heel at a time and rest weight on the ball of
the foot, then repeating on the other foot, bending the knees one at a time,
first slow, then repeating fast.
The third isolation is bending the knees and
moving only the knees from side to side.
The fourth isolation is to jump and land
with feet apart,
then move only the hips from side to side.
The fifth isolation is to Spiral the ribcage
and head from side to side,
keeping the lower body still.
Arms should be bent, fists at chest level with elbows pointed out.
The sixth isolation is to Tilt the body sharply forward then upright, to the right side
then upright, back then upright, to the left side then upright, then smoothly forward,
left side, back, right side, then upright.
The seventh isolation is to move only the ribcage from side to side.
4 Lowcountry Arts Integration Project
The eighth isolation is to move only the shoulders up and down, then roll the
shoulders back one at a time, then reverse and roll the shoulders forward one at a time.
The ninth isolation is to move the head looking to the right,
then front,
then to the left,
then front,
then up,
then front,
then down,
then front.
Then, roll the head slowly to the right,
to the back, to the left, forward
and then reverse the circular motion to
the left.
The tenth isolation is a combination
of two movements
in Opposition:
Touch the right elbow to the left knee
by lifting the left knee up to waist level,
then touching the left elbow to the
right knee by lifting the right knee up
to waist level.
The eleventh isolation is to, with feet together, reach high overhead with both arms,
then reach down to toes with both arms while keeping knees locked and straight,
then reach high overhead
with both arms again, then put hands on hips and jump one time,
landing with feet together.
The twelfth isolation is to end in a Balance on one leg, with the other foot placed
beside the knee of the balancing leg with the toe pointed down, and both arms
reaching high.
END: Students remain blanaced silently as the teacher turns off the music. When the
teacher indicates with gesture, students seat themselves
and begin the academic lesson.
Glossary
Choreography - a cohesive sequence of dance
movements arranged in a pattern for visual effect
and/or communication.
Improvisation - instantaneous reactive movement
without planning.
Isolation - moving one body part without moving
any other body parts.
Opposition - moving a body part on one side of
the body in combination with moving another body
part on the opposite side of the body at the same
time.
Spiral - movement of the ribcage ( may include the
head) laterally without moving the body below the
waist.
Tilt - a bend from the waist in any direction keeping
the spine erect; may include the lower body or be
limited (as in this lesson) to the upper body.
Movement Quality - the manner in which the movement is executed; movement
qualities in this lesson are Sharp and Smooth, as demonstrated in the sixth isolation.
Tempo - the speed of the movements or music; tempo in this lesson are Slow and
Fast, as demonstrated in the second isolation.
Jump - leaving the floor on two feet and landing on two feet. May also be leaving the
floor on one foot and landing on two feet, or leaving the floor on two feet landing on
one foot.
Balance - aligning the body securely, most importantly the spine and center, over the
ball of the standing foot/feet.
~ end of Dance Breaks Lesson
Teacher feedback:
My class enjoyed Ms. Hoadley. We continue to do many of the things she
taught us. They were so excited when she came to work in their PE class. When
they saw her in the school they wanted to run and give her hugs. I wish I could
have learned the dance so I could have helped them more. We are still
practicing. Here is the thing I just couldnt wait to share. Yesterday my students
were taking the math MAP test. One of my students called me over to show me
a problem. It was about angles and she said, Ms. Hoadley taught us this when
she was in our class. She then proceeded to make angles with her arms until
she remembered which was obtuse. She got the answer correct.
Thanks so much for offering this wonderful program and teacher to my students
and myself. I hope to work with Ms. Hoadley again.
Michelle Bradin Singleton, St. Helena Elementary School
6 Lowcountry Arts Integration Project
2. Coach Hall and Ms. Huntsman conduct review every day as well as integrating
their subject in the new material, as Ms. Hoadley introduces and leads the Dance
portion of the class.
handout- LETS SHOW IT! students can follow this sheet to perform.
Caroline Hoadley, Dance Artist/Educator, www.carolinadancing.com
It is important for students to have a performance, which they rehearse
themselves, for the enduring understanding that Dance art works in progress can
be performed with minimal rehearsal. Student-lead rehearsal allows teachers to
use their time to announce the performance and recruit more students.
The essential question How is dance performed? is answered by
students learn to stage a dance. The objective is for students to show off their
creations, on a family showcase night for example.
standard: DANCE DH-1.4 perform Movement sequences with a broad range of
movement qualities
concepts
CLASS OBSERVATION- An audience watches a lesson as it is taught.
PRESENTATION OR DEMONSTRATION- A lesson or skills from a lesson is
demonstrated for an audience. The audience is told that the students have not
practiced and mastered the skills yet, that the skills are a Work in Progress.
INFORMANCE OR LECTURE/DEMO- Parts of a lesson or the skills from a
lesson, mastered or not, are demonstrated for an audience, along with a verbal
explanation from a teacher or guest artist. This may be interactive, and include
audience question and answer.
PERFORMANCE- This word implies a level of mastery including personal
practice and group rehearsal and refinement. Formally presented.
REHEARSING AND STAGING A DANCE PERFORMANCE- Performance skills
that are taught at the same time when learning choreography: Improvisation /
Non-Verbal Communication / Energy focus/ Independent thinking / Personal
responsibility
STAGING includes: Blocking dance in performance space / Adjusting spacing
and Locomoter movement / Entrance/Exit / Bows
PRACTICE is what an individual does independently before coming to Group
Rehearsal. Members of a Performance Ensemble are responsible for individual
Practice.
GROUP REHEARSAL is minimal, with full energy. Ideally, rehearse only once at
each gathering, to reinforce the concept that the performance in only once. #