A good dance lesson involves both structure and imagination. Students learn how to move through various environments and create dance phrases and studies based on a theme or structure chosen by the teacher. The activities in a dance lesson can draw inspiration from nature, art works, literature, and music. Children can also use objects from their environment as choreographic devices. A dance lesson can be rounded out by closing with physical activities that cool the body. Some of these activities can include stretching and relaxation. Students may also choose to share improvisations or reflect on the lesson concept.
When planning a dance lesson, start by brainstorming possible stimulus. It may be an image, a story, or specific areas of the dance curriculum. Inquiry-based teaching encourages students to use movement to describe a particular story. Once they have a stimulus, have them choreograph a dance corresponding to the theme. Make sure to note their observations, and encourage discussion between students. Then, you can use these ideas to help students think critically about the curriculum and develop choreography.
Students will then move onto improvisational dance. Through the exploration of different cultures, students will learn to use movement phrases and emotions to change the meaning of a particular phrase. After composing a sequence of movement phrases, they will perform it for parents, receiving positive peer feedback. Throughout this unit, students will perform both the original and abstracted versions of the phrase. This will allow students to compare their own work with other dance pieces they have created.
