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Unit Plan
Annenberg Foundation

Annenberg Learner: American Passages: Native Voices: Ghost Dance Songs

For Students 9th - 10th
A Native American Paiute man known as Wovoka, after seeing a vision, started the Ghost Dance religion which had many songs to carry on its oral tradition. Click on the tab "Ghost Dance Songs Activities" to explore activities and photos.
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Website
Other

Parsons Dance Company

For Students 9th - 10th
Profiles the dancers of the relatively new company and its primary choreographer, David Parsons, a former dancer with Paul Taylor. Offers history and video links.
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Website
Other

Paul Taylor Dance Company

For Students 9th - 10th
This site profiles the American choreographer Paul Taylor and gives an overview of his company's dancers and all of his works.
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Article
NPR: National Public Radio

Npr: Martha Graham Dancers Return to the Stage

For Students 9th - 10th
This 2003 story from NPR discusses the return of the Martha Graham Dance Company to the stage. It includes images of her modern dance choreography, a selection of New York Times reviews of her work, and several links at the bottom of the...
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Website
PBS

Pbs: American Masters: Martha Graham Biography

For Students 9th - 10th
From the PBS series, American Masters, this is the biography for the American modern dance innovator, Martha Graham.
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Website
University of Pittsburgh

Ch.2: The Solo Dancers: Isadora Duncan

For Students 9th - 10th
Biographical information about dancer Isadora Duncan; includes the techniques she studied, her dance company, her philosophy, her fame and innovations in dance.
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Handout
Other

Inuvialuit Regional Corporation: Modern Inuvialuit Culture

For Students 9th - 10th
Find out about modern day life for the people of the Northwest Territories. Make sure to click on the 'culture' link to open a drop-down menu covering clothing, food, drum dancing, language, oral traditions, and the Northern Games.
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: The Nature of Dance

For Students 9th - 10th
This site from the Library of Congress provides sketches of costume designs used at the premiere of choreographer Lester Hortons "Le Sacre du Printemps", original dance work.
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Handout
Other

Vance Holmes's Fantastic Tap Dance Dictionary

For Students 9th - 10th
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.
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Article
Other

Dance Spirit: Thirteen of the Best Tap Dancers of All Time

For Students 9th - 10th
While certainly not inclusive, this article not only identifies thirteen top tappers, but also offers videos of each of them. While the first few in the list would be considered early tappers, like Bill "Bojangles" Robinson, this...
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My Hero Project

My Hero: Alvin Ailey

For Students 9th - 10th
Use this site to learn about Alvin Ailey's career as a dancer and choreographer of modern dance.
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Website
Other

Conexao Danca

For Students 9th - 10th
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...
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Website
Other

Women in History: Isadora Duncan Biography

For Students 9th - 10th
A nice brief overview of her life and a list of web sites and links that provide information about modern dancer Isadora Duncan.
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Website
Smithsonian Institution

National Portrait Gallery: American Women: Isadora Duncan

For Students 9th - 10th
Information about Isadora Duncan's style of dancing and her popularity in Europe. Included is a photograph taken by Edward Steichen.
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Article
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Mit: The Tech: Talent and Grace Make Alvin Ailey Amazingly Enjoyable

For Students 9th - 10th
Review of a performance by the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre, provides information on dance style, performance aspects and choreography.
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Article
PBS

Pbs Great Performances: A Hymn for Alvin Ailey

For Students 9th - 10th
Contains introduction, background information, artists biographies, and repertiore of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theatre.
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Handout
Library of Congress

Loc: Katherine Dunham Collection

For Students 9th - 10th
This online Katherine Dunham Collection presentation makes available a selection of photographs; film and videotape excerpts from Dunham's research and performing career; and selections from the Library's Dunham Legacy Project that...
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Lesson Plan
British Library

British Library: Austen's Emma: Social Realism & the Novel

For Teachers 9th - 10th
In the course of the novel's development, Jane Austen was a significant contributor to the emergence of the modern novel as we know it today. The review of Emma in the Quarterly Review (October 1815) makes clear to a modern audience how...
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Handout
Other

St. Louis Walk of Fame: Katherine Dunham

For Students 9th - 10th
A brief paragraph about dancer and choreographer Katherine Dunham and her contributions to the art of dance.
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Lesson Plan
ArtsNow

Arts Now Learning: Moving Shapes [Pdf]

For Teachers K - 1st Standards
These activities will allow students to discover the concepts of geometry through shape exploration and the creation of choreographic sequences.
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Website
Library of Congress

Loc: America's Story: Robert "Bob" Fosse Was Born

For Students 3rd - 8th
This site is provided for by America's Library. Most of the dance that is seen today in music videos and dance clubs came from a man who lived more that 80 years ago. Learn more about this dance legend at this site from the Library of...
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Website
Other

Idaho Mountain Express: Wovoka, Lame Deer, Rolling Thund

For Students 9th - 10th
A great description of Wovoka's religion and the influence of the "Ghost Dance." It also describes how the "Ghost Dance" has evolved since his death.
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Handout
Wikimedia

Wikipedia: Cadence

For Students 9th - 10th
Read about the musical term cadence and its importance in music and dance. Includes a description of the four main types of cadences in modern music theory and other definitions of cadence at this site.
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Handout
Countries and Their Cultures

Countries and Their Cultures: Mossi

For Students 9th - 10th
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...

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