In the early phases of the dance lesson, the teacher should avoid pointing out goals to students, instead focusing on individual or team investigations of a movement issue. As the class progresses, the teacher can try to aim for a performance outcome. This could be an informal showcase for parents, peers, or a different class. In either case, students should have ample time to practice before the performance. A performance without appropriate rehearsal will be a negative experience for the students.
The teacher should focus on teaching basic dancing techniques, but also teach students how to use and apply these skills in choreography and performance. The dance lesson plan should be designed to engage students in critical thinking and creativity. It should also focus on fostering positive social skills. By using this plan, teachers can develop holistic dancers.
The beginning of a dance lesson should have a stimulus that inspires creativity. Some good ideas for this are body movements, specific aspects of the dance curriculum, or connecting the content of other subjects. Teachers can also integrate other areas of the curriculum in their lesson plans. For example, HASS, literacy, and numeracy can all be linked to dance, as children use their body language to communicate advanced knowledge.
Another idea for an educational dance lesson is to use the natural world as inspiration for the dance. For example, a dance lesson can be themed around the solar system, or a volcano or grassland. A fun activity to incorporate into the lesson involves pretending that children are paleontologists, and imagine how the fossils have come to life. This is a great way to help children develop empathy and express their feelings through dance.
