Today's class was a good introduction to the instruction of dance as we learned about integrating language arts into dance and about strategies that help students to step outside of their comfort zone as they explore dance as an art form.
Studying dance, like any art form, means that we need to understand the terminology that is used in that art form. Common words like body, energy, space, relationship and time all mean something a little different when used within the context of dance. Understanding this terminology was important when given instructions because this wording highlights different elements of dance that are fundamental to the art form. As we learned about the meanings of these words we were able to participate in the activities more confidently and knowledgeably. Essentially, we were beginning to lay our foundations with the building blocks that dance is built upon.
Once we had learned these terms we were encouraged to get involved and to create a dance that aligned with the syllabic structures of our names. In groups of three we used our names to connect different dance moves as we spoke our names aloud. This strategy was very useful in getting the entire class - including those who were apprehensive - to participate in creating dance movements. At the end of this activity everyone was enjoying themselves and it really helped to create a lighter atmosphere where people were less nervous to get in front of their peers and try something new.
This strategy was similar to the one we saw in our music class where we were creating songs to the syllabic structure of our names. It might be possible to add an element of music into this dance activity, depending on the class and the readiness of our students. The simplicity of this dance activity offers many opportunities to integrate other curriculum.
One area that I could see the integration of other curriculum is when we began exploring ABA dance form. This dance form requires the dancers to begin with a dance movement, change that dance movement to something different and then return to the dance movement that they used to begin their dance. Subjects like music would offer an opportunity to highlight something known as ternary form which outlines an ABA thematic pattern. The opening musical theme is introduced, then another theme presents itself and then finishes with the opening musical theme. Also, subject areas like math would be good for integrating patterning and looking at the connections between the ABA form and ABA patterning. What I like most about dance and other various art forms is their ability to weave their way into many real-world applications. In my upcoming placement I will look for the opportunities to integrate the arts into other subject areas so that students can learn different topics from various perspectives.
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