Big Ideas
Big Ideas
Identity is explored, expressed, and impacted through dance experiences.
Dance provides opportunities to gain insight into perspectives and experiences of people from a variety of times, places, and cultures.
Collaborative dance experiences can build community and nurture relationships with others.
Dance uses a unique sensory language for creating and communicating.
Content
Learning Standards
Content
dance
the elements of dance are universally present in all dance forms and grow in sophistication over time
elements, techniques, and vocabulary to create mood and convey ideas, including but not limited to: bodywhat the body is doing, including whole or partial body action, types of movement (locomotor and non-locomotor), etc.
, spacewhere the body is moving, including place, level, direction, pathway, size/reach, shape, etc.
, dynamics (dance)how energy is expended and directed through the body in relation to time (quick/sustained), weight (strong/light), space (direct/indirect), and flow (free/bound)
, timehow the body moves in relation to time, including beat (underlying pulse), tempo, and rhythmic patterns
, relationshipswith whom or what the body is moving; movement happens in a variety of relationship including pairs, groups, objects, and environments
, formThe shape or structure of a dance; the orderly arrangement of thematic material. For example: phrase, beginning, middle, end, ABA, canon, call and response, narrative, abstract
, and movement principlesinclude alignment (mobility, stability, plumbline), weight transfer, flexibility, strength, balance, and coordination
choreographic devices
strategies to develop movement, motifs, and phrases (e.g., changing size, levels/planes, body parts, dynamics, order, repetition, inversion, fragmentation, retrograde)
and notationthis can include written formal and informal systems of symbols, shapes, and lines that represent body position and movement
choreographic choices that impact clarity of intent and purpose
compositional devices, forms, and structures of dance
processes, materials, movements, technologies
includes both manual and digital technologies (e.g., electronic media, production elements, information technology, sound equipment and recording technologies, etc.)
, strategies, and techniques to support creative works
the roles of performers and audiences in a variety of contexts
traditional and contemporary Aboriginal worldviews and cross-cultural perspectives communicated through movement and dance
contributions of innovative artists from a variety of genres, communities, times, and places
personal and social responsibility
ensuring the physical and emotional safety of self and others when engaging in the arts; being considerate of sensitive content, facilities, and materials
associated with creating, performing, and responding in dance
the ethics of cultural appropriation
use of cultural motifs, themes, “voices,” images, knowledge, stories, songs, drama, etc. shared without permission or without appropriate context or in a way that may misrepresent the real experience of the people from whose culture it is drawn
and plagiarism
Curricular Competency
Learning Standards
Curricular Competency
Exploring and creating
Select and combine the elements of dance
the five elements of movement that form the “building blocks” of dance: body, space, dynamics, time, and relationships
to intentionally create a particular mood, meaning, or purpose
Create movement phrases both collaboratively and as an individual, using ideas inspired by imagination, inquiry, and purposeful play
learning that uses real-life and/or imaginary situations to engage and challenge learners’ thinking. Through planned purposeful play, students express their natural curiosity while exploring the world around them. It also provides a means for high-level reasoning and problem solving in a variety of ways
Explore relationships between identity, place, culture, society, and belonging through movement experiences
Demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of personal, social, cultural, historical, and environmental contexts in relation to dance
Create personally meaningful bodies of artistic works that demonstrate an understanding and appreciation of social, cultural, environmental, and historical contexts
Take creative risks to experience and express thoughts, emotions, and meaning
Reasoning and reflecting
Describe, interpret, and evaluate how dancers and choreographers use the elements of dance and choreographic structures to create and communicate ideas
Develop and refine ideas, movement, and technical skills to improve the quality of performance pieces
Receive, offer, and apply constructive feedback
Communicating and documenting
Adapt and apply learned skills, understandings, and processes for use in new contexts and for different purposes and audiences
Compose, interpret, and expand ideas using symbolism
use of an object, word, or action to represent an abstract idea; includes but is not limited to colours, images, movements, and sounds (e.g., love can be symbolized by the colour red or the cradling of one’s arms)
, imagery, and elements
Revise, refine, analyze, and document
activities that help students reflect on their learning (e.g., through drawing, painting, journaling, taking pictures, making video clips or audio-recordings, constructing new works, and compiling a portfolio)
creative works and experiences to enhance presentation in a variety of ways
Connecting and expanding
Reflect on works of art and creative processes to make connections to personal learning and experiences
Demonstrate respect for themselves, others, and the audience
Collaborate through reciprocal relationships during creative processes
Demonstrate increasingly sophisticated application and/or engagement of curricular content