Folk Dance Lesson Plans

Tenth graders participate in a lesson guided by an essential question: in what ways does choreographer, Mark Morris' work, "The Office," reflect Eastern-European traditional folk dance? During the lesson's first sessions, students physically learn two to three traditional folk dances from selected regions in Eastern Europe.

Young scholars explore traditional dances.  In this multicultural humanities lesson, students investigate a specific country, examining its history, geography, climate, government, economics and arts.  Young scholars draw inferences about the vital role that dance played in their identified country and compare and contrast their findings with other countries researched.

Students share dance moves that reflect their personalities or depict how they are feeling, explore popularity of recreational and competitive social dancing by reading and discussing the article "Follow the Flying Feet," present examples of social dancing, research dance forms performed in class, and reflect on which dance styles they like best.

Students study introductory history and cultural purposes of selected Japanese dance forms. They analyze the philosophical beliefs, social systems, and movement norms that influence the function and role of Japanese dance in the lives of its people.

Students identify how they themselves use movement and dance and the many ways that people move and dance in various contexts. They observe and imitate folk movement and dance while decoding their skills and kinesthetic abilities. Students also identify the importance of folk dance to cultural groups and that they understand the folk group is the folk dance.

Third graders demonstrate a German folk dance. In this folk dancing lesson, 3rd graders practice a choral reading to the song "Hansel and Gretel." Students watch a demonstration of the dance and perform it in pairs.

Sixth graders practice four different cultural or traditional (folk) dances and participate in whole-class and small-group discussions that invite critical thinking to draw inferences. Students choose specific countries or regions to research, examining their histories, geographies, climates, governments, economics, cultures and arts.

Students observe global cultures by listening to music and watching videos. In this Latin American dance lesson, students define merengue, salsa and other dances from the Hispanic culture while listening to Latin rhythm music. Students view educational DVD's which discuss reggae as well as the tango.

Twelfth graders investigate Ekon kon or Djola or Jola (dance), a noncompetitive, communal dance performed by the Djola people from the Sene-Gambia region of West Africa. They listen to a lecture by the teacher about the West African cultures that include this dance. The lesson plan includes many resources for the teacher as well as explicit directions for performing the dance.

Students study the art of Bharata Natyam Indian dance. In this Indian dance lesson, students read text about Indian dance Bharata Natyam dance. Students may create their own dance and a television story about the topic.