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.
Ballet Austin
The History of Modern Dance
The evolution of modern dance, and the dance history of many of the key figures in the development of this uniquely American form, are the focus of a 13-page packet that includes photos of revolutionaries.
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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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Ballet, Modern, and Jazz Dance: Basic Positions
Students compare and contrast the basic vocabulary of ballet, modern, and jazz dance through observation and experience. This lesson correlates with the DanceSense Enhanced DVD.
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Isadore Duncan
Who is Isadore Duncan? If you're a teacher of dance, you might be interested in this informative presentation. Biographical, philosophical, and personal information on the life and contributions of this famed dancer are given in an easy...
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Lesson 14- Merce Cunningham: A Lifetime of Dance
Students 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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The Chicken Dance
Third graders identify and perform the five main dance movements of the "Chicken Dance" to accordion music.
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Dance Research Essay
Pupils 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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Movement And Rhythm In Modern Art
Students gather around the three selected paintings. The teacher guide students in looking at different elements of the paintings and help students make the connections between the visual art and movement skills.
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Jump if you feel like it
Students incorporate historical references into the modern circle dances.
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EXPRESSIVE QUALITIES
Students create a dance that expresses a specific mood. They describe the composition in writing and explain how they would alter actions, movement qualities and spacing to convey a new mood. They perform the dance they created...
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Japanese Abstract Art And The Impressionist Movement
Students study several examples of Japanese abstract art and how this style impacted the Impressionist movement of the 19th century. This lesson includes ideas for student-created sketchbooks.
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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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Plodding Along: The Dan Wagoner Experiment
Students research Dan Wagoner and apply his choreographic ideas in "Plod" to dance study. In this art lesson, students discuss Dan Wagoner. Students select four shapes from "Plod" and connect in a dance.
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Pathways to the Future
Students 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.
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Bollywood, Philadelphia
Students conceive a simple boy-meets-girl story. They write a screenplay, compose a storyboard, and produce the story with music and dancing in the style of a modern Indian operetta, using digital filming and editing. They screen the...
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Locomotion, Time And Shapes
Students practice the concepts of time and rhythm using drum beats. They also create body shapes using verbal cues. The shapes made include stretched, curled, angular, or twisted. The rhythm of beats is increased or decreased to explore...
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J.S. Bach (1685-1750): Sarabande and Gigue form Partita no.4 in D major, BWV 828
Challenge your music students with this worksheet, which includes twenty-one questions about J.S. Bach's Sarabande and Gigue form Partita no.4 in D major, BWV 828. Students compare the two sections (bars 1-12, bars 13-38) by answering...
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The Heart of Human Experience: Cultura Azteca
First graders explore Aztec culture to gain understanding of relationship between music, recreation, and culture. Seven lessons on one page.
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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...
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Storytelling With Artists
Students retell a legend orally, illustrating it with the art style of the source culture.
Albright-Knox Art Gallery
Albright Knox Art Gallery: Personified Sculpture
After learning about Fernand Leger's sculpture, young scholars will learn basic concepts of modern dance, create their own movements, select sounds or music, and combine all of these in a modern dance performance.