National Dance Week Foundation
Modern Dance Project
As part of a celebration of National Dance week, class members engage in a series of exercises that introduce them to the movements of modern dance.
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Modern & Contemporary
An informative study of the masters of modern and contemporary dance, including Ailey, Fokine, Balanchine, Baryshnikov, and Graham, this presentation offers students some key moments in the development of 20th century dance. Great in a...
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Exploring the Roots of Modern Dance in America
Students develop an understanding of how African culture impacted modern dance in the United States.
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Dance Sequences and Phrases
A series of lessons about dance would be a great addition to your physical education class. Straightforward as well as creative, it teaches the basic skills of dance movement. A rubric helps guide the dancers to let them know what steps...
Hawaiʻi State Department of Education
Pilobolus
After reviewing dance-specific terminology and watching a clip from the dance troupe Pilobolus, learners create dances of their own. They pair up and use the teacher's cues to create creature dances that exemplify mood and shape. Any...
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Lesson 14- Merce Cunningham: A Lifetime of Dance
Learners analyze the techniques of modern dance choreography. They keep a journal as they observe the movement of people and animals. They use the movements to create a dance piece.
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Dance Research Essay
Students discover and appreciate the history, characteristics, and significance of a specific dance style. They to pick a dance style that they are interested in and would like to research.
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Solo Dance Composition
Students conclude the semester with an individual movement study utilizing basic elements of dance and choreography previously covered in class. They will choose from three choreographic prompts presented a few days before giving them...
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Dance Production
Students go through the experience of creating a dance. They use the correct vocabulary when creating the dance in writing. Students choreograph the steps needed to perform the dance in sequence. Then they perform the dance for final...
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Dance Composition
Students investigate the process and components present in a dance composition. They create their own composition for the purpose of recreating all he elements of a dance composition. The dance is written in a journal for the purpose of...
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"Shapes" Dance Lesson Plan
Sixth graders create dances by manipulating shapes with their bodies.
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Jump if you feel like it
Students incorporate historical references into the modern circle dances.
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Caloric Expenditure in Powwow Dancing
Sixth graders investigate the meaning of different types of Native American music and dance. They determine how this music and dance has contributed to modern music and dance. They problem solve to determine the average length of the...
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Cinquain
Students create an original Cinquain (five-line poem) and choreograph movement to their poem, performing movement for class and video. This lesson addresses standards in the arts and requires a video recorder.
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MTV and Othello
After reading Acts III and IV of Othello, give your class a fun, interactive, music-related activity. Begin by asking high schoolers about songs they have heard in movies or plays. Let them look up the lyrics online and ruminate about...
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Plodding Along: The Dan Wagoner Experiment
Learners research Dan Wagoner and apply his choreographic ideas in "Plod" to dance study. In this art lesson plan, students discuss Dan Wagoner. Learners select four shapes from "Plod" and connect in a dance.
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True Spin: Music
Upper graders take a critical look at art criticism, music, and politics. They watch one segment of "True Spin," produced by VH1 music television and then discuss myths that relate to art and music. Several modern songs are analyzed...
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Pathways to the Future
Young scholars draw a pathway and create a movement phrase along that same path using specific movement vocabulary. The phrases are performed in class and rubrics are used for assessment. Meets State standards for the arts.
Diane Venzera
Kwanzaa Celebration: Celebrating Family, Community, and Culture
Kwanzaa is the focus of a three-part lesson plan that celebrates the history and traditions of the holiday. Before lighting the Kinara, scholars listen to a read-aloud of Seven Candles of Kwanzaa by Andrea Davis Pinkney. Learners express...
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Music in West Africa
Learners explore power and the symbols of power in West African music. They discuss the music of West Africa and compare it to African American music of today. In addition, they investigate musical instruments of Africa, identify the...
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Noh Theater
Students compare Noh drama to western drama and trace the influence of Japanese theater on modern western drama. In this Noh drama lesson, students read the play Black Tomb (Kurozuko) defining the elements and conventions of Noh drama...
National First Ladies' Library
The Medal of Freedom: The Nation's Highest Civilian Award
Learners discover the American Medal of Freedom, also known as the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Using the internet, groups of pupils research the history of the award, its recipients, and its origin. Each group prepares a PowerPoint...
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The Arts of Africa, Asia and the Middle East: An Exploration of Art, Music and Film
Students examine the arts of the Middle East, Asia and Africa. After viewing films, they discuss the views of the various characters and identify the differences in the cultures presented. They also use the internet to evaluate various...
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SLAVE TRADITIONS AND RELIGIONS: AN INSTITUTION CREATED WITHIN THE SLAVE COMMUNITY
High schoolers learn and discuss the origins of slave traditions and religions. They use a T-chart and compare the slaves lifestyle with other modern lifestyles.