Chapter 7
Dance
Why teach dance?
• Evolved into independent field of study.
• Contributes to physical & mental growth, self-esteem & creativity.
• Learn to communicate through movement.
Role of dance ed
• Body awareness.
• Safe use of body through series of act.
• Develops kinaesthetic & spatial awareness skills.
• Involves ability to:
o work w/ others.
o communicate & reason clearly during exchange of ideas.
o apply critical thinking skills.
o think creatively & imaginatively.
o communicate emotions through movement.
What is dance?
• One of oldest, most basic human act.
• Tribes used it to express emotion & tell stories.
• Unite tribe in shared social act.
• Ancient dance: pay tribute to gods.
• Folk dancing: distinguish members of a social group.
Quality dance ed
• Should include potential outcomes of 3 domains:
o Psychomotor: acquisition of physical skills & promotion of fitness level.
o Cognitive: not only knowledge, understanding & application but also place &
function of dance in society.
o Affective: learners’ ability to function w/i a group.
, Theoretical orientation
• Dance performance
o Should be included in every lesson:
▪ Warm-up
− Exercises linking movement to breath.
− Movements to encourage flexibility & joint movement.
− Attention paid to posture.
− Act. to develop balance.
− Act. to increase spinal flexibility.
− Act. to increase core strength.
− Act. to increase stamina.
▪ Movement skills
− Locomotive act.: walking, skipping.
− Non-locomotor act.: bending, stretching, turning.
− Experimentation w/ dif. movement effort actions:
- Weight
- Time
- Direction
− Basic techniques common to dance:
- knee bending
- jumping
- turning
- foot pointing
- falling & rising
- contracting & releasing
- isolation
▪ Improvisation
− Given opportunity to respond creatively to stimuli during improvised
movement sessions.
− This act. should be included in programme so dance maintains its
function as tool to aid whole learner development.
▪ Dance forms
− Should learn & execute dance sequences.
− Should lead to discussion about dance & message it conveys.
▪ Relaxation/cool-down
− Based on contracting & releasing movements.
− Discussion, if necessary.
− Vary classes as much as possible by switching between solo, group,
etc.
Dance
Why teach dance?
• Evolved into independent field of study.
• Contributes to physical & mental growth, self-esteem & creativity.
• Learn to communicate through movement.
Role of dance ed
• Body awareness.
• Safe use of body through series of act.
• Develops kinaesthetic & spatial awareness skills.
• Involves ability to:
o work w/ others.
o communicate & reason clearly during exchange of ideas.
o apply critical thinking skills.
o think creatively & imaginatively.
o communicate emotions through movement.
What is dance?
• One of oldest, most basic human act.
• Tribes used it to express emotion & tell stories.
• Unite tribe in shared social act.
• Ancient dance: pay tribute to gods.
• Folk dancing: distinguish members of a social group.
Quality dance ed
• Should include potential outcomes of 3 domains:
o Psychomotor: acquisition of physical skills & promotion of fitness level.
o Cognitive: not only knowledge, understanding & application but also place &
function of dance in society.
o Affective: learners’ ability to function w/i a group.
, Theoretical orientation
• Dance performance
o Should be included in every lesson:
▪ Warm-up
− Exercises linking movement to breath.
− Movements to encourage flexibility & joint movement.
− Attention paid to posture.
− Act. to develop balance.
− Act. to increase spinal flexibility.
− Act. to increase core strength.
− Act. to increase stamina.
▪ Movement skills
− Locomotive act.: walking, skipping.
− Non-locomotor act.: bending, stretching, turning.
− Experimentation w/ dif. movement effort actions:
- Weight
- Time
- Direction
− Basic techniques common to dance:
- knee bending
- jumping
- turning
- foot pointing
- falling & rising
- contracting & releasing
- isolation
▪ Improvisation
− Given opportunity to respond creatively to stimuli during improvised
movement sessions.
− This act. should be included in programme so dance maintains its
function as tool to aid whole learner development.
▪ Dance forms
− Should learn & execute dance sequences.
− Should lead to discussion about dance & message it conveys.
▪ Relaxation/cool-down
− Based on contracting & releasing movements.
− Discussion, if necessary.
− Vary classes as much as possible by switching between solo, group,
etc.
