Curated OER
Exploring the Roots of Modern Dance in America
Students develop an understanding of how African culture impacted modern dance in the United States.
Curated OER
Similarities Between African Folktales And French Folktales
Students study the importance of the Storyteller in ancient times as well as in modern times. They realize that this is an art essential to the development and evolution of the mind and that today more than ever we need to rely on...
Curated OER
Music in West Africa
Students 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...
Curated OER
Masking: Honoring Animals, Ancestors, and Gods
Learners analyze the role of masks in African culture. In this African masks lesson, students read about the importance and meaning of imagery of African masks. Learners observe animals in local ecosystems and create a mask combining the...
Curated OER
Modern Dance and the Harlem Renaissance
Students create an artistic rendering based on what they have learned from the film and the lesson.
Curated OER
Folktale through African Art
Students study folktales and other stories from West Africa. By hearing and reading these stories they explore many new cultural and religious beliefs, such as spirits inhabiting nature and possessing special powers. Once the students...
Diane Venzera
Kwanzaa Celebration: Celebrating Family, Community, and Culture
Kwanzaa is the focus of a three-part lesson 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...
Curated OER
Using the Patterns and Symbols of Mali Mud Cloth to Convey Identity
Students participate in relating the role of the arts in defining identity. They examine the community in West African society and how members of that community define their role. They view how artifacts, music and performance can...
Curated OER
Making Masks
Students create paper masks linking the function and purpose of masks in the past, with modern life.
Curated OER
Storytelling With Artists
Students retell a legend orally, illustrating it with the art style of the source culture.
Smithsonian Institution
Smithsonian Education: Spotlight Biography Modern Dance
Biographies of famous dancers, including Katherine Dunham, dancer and choreographer. Description of dance styles and influences.
Other
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Revelations
A description of the dance Revelations, choreographed by Alvin Ailey. The dance was first performed on January 31, 1960, and made Ailey an overnight sensation in the dance world. Includes video and photographs, as well as links to videos...
Other
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater: Repertory
Description and information about works in the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre repertory.
Black Past
Black Past: Alvin Ailey Dance Theater
This brief encyclopedia entry describes the creation and development of the dance company Alvin Ailey began. There is a link to a website that will take you to the theater's web page.
Yale University
Living Pictures Representing the History of Black Dance
A brief history of black dance in America, includes dance pioneers in jazz dance, ballet, and modern dance.
Other
Vance Holmes's Fantastic Tap Dance Dictionary
Searchable glossary of terminology common in tap dance, compiled by Vance Holmes, M.F.A., choreographer, and dance educator. Links to other dance and music dictionaries.
Other
Conexao Danca
This site offers information about Brazilian dance, scheduled events in dance, connection of professional and amateur dancers around the country, an extensive bibliography about dance, pictures, articles and essays and a very...
Black Past
Black Past: Rap/hip Hop
This encyclopedia entry gives a brief history of rap and hip hop and the influences of the music on modern culture.
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Mossi
The Mossi are the most prominent ethnic group in the modern nation of Burkina Faso (formerly Upper Volta). They are also well known in the anthropological literature as a society with an especially high rate of labor migration to...
Other
Africultures
Similar to an online newspaper, this resource provides numerous insights to the contemporary culture in Africa.
Countries and Their Cultures
Countries and Their Cultures: Zande
The Zande, whose homelands lie within three modern African states (Republic of the Sudan, Zaire, Central African Republic), constitute a large and complex amalgam of originally distinct ethnic groups, united by culture and, to a...