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ARTS EDUCATION K-12

DANCE K-12

PURPOSE AND OVERVIEW

Purpose
Dance in the public schools:
  • provides students with a kinesthetic (bodily) way of experiencing, perceiving, understanding, learning, and communicating.
  • develops higher order thinking through perceiving, creating, performing, analyzing, and evaluating.
  • develops and applies reading, writing, and mathematics skills.
  • is a sequential, discipline-based offering.
  • challenges the intellect and creativity of each student.
  • instills concentrated focus and a disciplined approach to lifelong learning.
  • integrates with all framework content areas.
  • develops respect for diverse ways of thinking, working, and expressing ideas.
  • nurtures problem-recognition and problem-solving through considering, assessing, and adopting appropriate solutions.
  • provides opportunities for social development and collaboration with others.
  • fosters a diverse cultural and historical perspective.
  • promotes a healthy body and an active mind for learning.
  • encourages aesthetic discovery and growth.
  • provides knowledge of vocational and avocational opportunities.
Basis
Movement is one of the first ways children learn and communicate. Dance is a language of movement that provides developmentally-appropriate opportunities to draw upon this natural way of learning. Dance helps students develop self discipline and focus as they explore movement concepts of space, time, and energy. These concepts are basic to the discovery of the body's movement potential. Throughout the program, students are encouraged to be imaginative and create dances of their own. The process of creating dance engages students in activities that facilitate the understanding of sequence, problem-solving, cooperation, and critical thinking skills.
Dance develops an understanding of the diverse ideas, beliefs, cultures, attitudes and feelings of humankind throughout time as communicated through movement. The program is based primarily on the principles of modern dance and embraces a variety of styles and creative approaches. It fosters the development of imagination, aesthetic perception, and higher order thinking skills. Dance is a vehicle for helping children understand and become engaged in the creative process and its relationship to all areas of learning. Teaching methodologies emphasize kinesthetic learning and allow each student to become knowledgeable about dance through personal and active experience as a dancer, choreographer and audience member.
Grades K-2
In Grades K-2, dance draws upon children's natural enthusiasm for movement. Through the introduction of the concepts of space, time and energy, students become aware of a variety of movement possibilities. It encourages exploration of multiple solutions to problems. Students become aware that dance is a unique way of knowing and that movement is a language which communicates ideas, thoughts and feelings. Students are encouraged to share, analyze, and evaluate their work.
Grades 3-5
Children progress with more refined use of space, time, and energy in Grades 3-5. Greater emphasis is placed upon problem-solving and working cooperatively with others in the dance process. Lessons may have a thematic focus based on content from other subject areas and/or related to the child's interest and developmental level. Students continue to create, perform, analyze, and evaluate their work and begin to understand dance as an art form.
Grades 6-8
In Grades 6-8, dance experiences are based upon the creative process, kinesthetic learning, and the connection to concepts studied in all framework areas. This study emphasizes the training and care of the body as an instrument for dance and for acquisition of technical skills for involvement as a choreographer, dancer, and audience member. Aesthetic development increases as students are challenged through individual and group choreographic projects. Understanding of the social, cultural, and historical continuum and an appreciation for the world of dance is developed. Appropriate technology is introduced and vocational and avocational possibilities of dance are explored.
Grades 9-12
Dance at Grades 9-12 continues to be a sequential and discipline based program that places emphasis on aesthetic understandings and training the body as an instrument of communication and expression. Students are encouraged to freely explore the problem-recognition and problem-solving processes through the technical skills acquired from a movement-based approach to learning. They are encouraged to express ideas, thoughts, and perceptions in their own choreographic works. Emphasis is given to personal perception, observation, and interaction in order to foster the growth and development of the creative process. Students develop skills in making aesthetic judgments based upon personal experiences in order to evaluate and critique their own work.
Studies at this level continue to focus upon history, theory and philosophy of dance, dance appreciation, and an understanding of the arts as a measure of human development throughout civilization.
The K-12 dance framework is a comprehensive program encompassing a broad field of study. Course offerings should be developed to carry out the various elements of this framework.

 

Dance
PROGRAM FRAMEWORK

Goal 1: The student will identify and demonstrate elements and skills in dance.
(National Standard 1)

K-2 1.1 Develop kinesthetic awareness.
1.2 Understand the elements of dance: space, time and energy.
3-5 1.1 Develop kinesthetic awareness.
1.2 Understand the elements of dance: space, time and energy.
6-8 1.1 Demonstrate increasing kinesthetic awareness, concentration and focus in performing movement skills.
1.2 Understand the elements of dance: space, time and energy.
9-12 1.1 Develop skills in technique.
1.2 Understand the concept of the elements of dance: space, time and energy.

Goal 2: The student will understand the process of making a dance.
(National Standard 2)

K-2 2.1 Understand that making a dance requires planning.
3-5 2.1 Understand that making a dance requires planning.
2.2 Understand the choreographic process.
2.3 Understand that dances can have different structures. (unison, canon, ABA, etc.) .
6-8 2.1 Understand the concept of improvisation.
2.2 Understand the concept of composition.
9-12 2.1 Understand the concept of improvisation.
2.2 Demonstrate the ability to create dance compositions.
2.3 Recognize that the choreographic process is a process of critical/creative thinking

Goal 3: The student will understand dance as a way to create and communicate meaning.
(National Standard 3)

K-2 3.1 Understand that dance is one among many forms of expression.
3-5 3.1 Understand that dance is one among many forms of expression.
6-8 3.1 Develop the ability to use dance as a language.
9-12 3.1 Develop the ability to use dance as a language.

Goal 4: The student will apply and demonstrate critical and creative thinking skills in dance.
(National Standard 4)

K-2 4.1 Understand that a problem can have multiple solutions.
4.2 Recognize similarities and differences in composition.
4.3 Demonstrate appropriate audience behavior while observing a dance.
3-5 4.1 Understand that a problem can have multiple solutions.
4.2 Examine similarities and differences in composition.
4.3 Understand the role of an audience for dance.
6-8 4.1 Understand that a problem/task can have more than one solution.
4.2 Analyze similarities and differences in composition.
4.3 Understand the role of an audience for dance.
4.4 Identify and apply aesthetic criteria for evaluating dance.
9-12 4.1 Understand that a problem can have multiple solutions.
4.2 Understand the role of an audience for dance.
4.3 Develop a basis for dance criticism.

Goal 5: The student will demonstrate and understand dance in various cultures and historical periods.
(National Standard 5)

K-2 5.1 Understand the role of dance in various cultures.
3-5 5.1 Understand the role of dance in various cultures.
5.2 Identify similarities and differences in dance styles from different historical periods.
6-8 5.1 Understand the role of dance in various cultures.
5.2 Identify similarities and differences in dance styles from different historical periods.
5.3 Identify important innovators in past and contemporary cultures.
9-12 5.1 Understand that dance reflects, records, and shapes history and plays a role in various cultures as a language.
5.2 Identify important innovations in past and contemporary cultures.

Goal 6: The student will make connections between dance and healthful living.
(National Standard 6)

K-2 6.1 Develop an awareness of the capabilities and limitations of the body.
6.2 Understand that dance requires discipline and personal commitment.
6.3 Adopt healthy practices which enhance the ability to dance.
6.4 Develop a positive attitude toward self, others and the dance experience.
3-5 6.1 Develop an awareness of the capabilities and limitations of the body.
6.2 Understand that dance requires discipline and personal commitment.
6.3 Adopt healthy practices which enhance the ability to dance.
6.4 Develop a positive attitude toward self, others and the dance experience.
6-8 6.1 Develop an awareness of the capabilities and limitations of the body.
6.2 Understand that dance requires discipline and personal commitment.
6.3 Adopt healthy practices which enhance the ability to dance.
6.4 Develop a positive attitude toward self, others and the dance experience.
9-12 6.1 Develop an awareness of the capabilities and limitations of the body.
6.2 Understand that dance requires discipline and personal commitment.
6.3 Assume responsibility for personal health and care of the dance instrument
6.4 Develop a positive attitude toward self, others and the dance experience.

Goal 7: The student will make appropriate connections between dance and other disciplines.
(National Standard 7)

K-2 7.1 Understand dance as a way of exploring other content areas.
3-5 7.1 Understand dance as a way of exploring other content areas.
7.2 Understand that the creative process is applicable to many content areas.
7.3 Understand the application of technology in dance.
6-8 7.1 Understand dance as a way of exploring other content areas.
7.2 Understand the application of technology in dance.
9-12 7.1 Understand dance as a way of exploring other content areas.
7.2 Understand the application of technology in dance.

Goal 8: The student will understand dance as an art form with a range of opportunities for involvement.
Note: This goal is not intended for implementation in K-5

6-8 8.1 Develop an awareness of the various dance related professions.
9-12 8.1 Understand dance as a vocation and profession.
Revised 1995 Arts Education
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