Dance for wellness
Program Outline:
The ideas for lesson plans for this program are endless; there is a list of websites and books, (see 'resources'), to source lessons from. It is important to let the interest of the children guide the lesson progression for example if they are engaging with the first phase of the unit more lessons can be found in this area of interest. Other areas of the curriculum can also be added as an extension where relevant. There is no designated timeframe; in fact the program is intended to be on going, so long as the learning outcomes are being met. It is encouraged to invite parents and other audience members to watch any completed dance routines that the children are proud of and excited about as performance is a part of the artistic process, a significant part of the Arts is the presentation of the product, this is a part of the artistic process and an opportunity to show off their work and receive approval from an audience (Emery, 1998, p. 5). Parent audiences and even participation may become a regular occurrence!
Each lesson should have the following:
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Subject:
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Objective: Include mapping to curriculum
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Warm up: Griss explains that the warm up should be a nonchallenging group movement to warm up the participants both physically and emotionally…in a circle; which gives group cohesiveness, or in a line facing teacher also gives teacher more control over behaviour. Students should have room to swing arms and legs. Warm up should focus students’ awareness of their bodies. Movements may include the way our bodies move: swinging, rotating, flexing (bending), and extending. Or focus on movement qualities, small, large, subtle, fast, slow, tense, loose, laying on floor, jumping high. All to music, rhythmic, friendly music providing support and structure to help children focus (1998, p. 34). This may be an opportunity to introduce students to dance activities on the “wii” (by Nintendo) or instructional videos (fitness dance or dance of different cultures), where students copy the movements of the instructor, I would only suggest this for the warm up because the main activity for the lesson should encourage students to come up with their own creative movements. The advantage of these mediums (wii and instruction videos) is that the students can get access to these and then have something to warm up to themselves at home and to use later in life; they are also fun and can be set to the level of the participant.
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Emphasis on safety:
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Inspiration maybe Music, sound or silence:
Brehm and McNett discuss the need for appropriate use of the above, music and dance go together but sometimes music can dominate the dance and it may have more impact to have silence. Alternatively just a beating drum, that can change as quickly as the movement, may be appropriate (2008, p. 14, p. 124 & p. 150). An activity they describe on page 14 is the drummer following the dancer, as opposed to the other way around.
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Element of Dance: (at least one) (see 'elements of dance'. For Zakkai’s Dance Resource chart which outlines these elements (1997, p.110))
• Space; includes size, shape, directions, pathways and relationships
• Energy; force, weight, quality, motion and stillness
• Time; speed, rhythm
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Lesson plan; Movement/dance: Individually, in pairs and or groups:
Reflection of objectives met after activity: maybe some stretches or a calming activity:
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Discussion, think, pair share and or journal writing
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Discussions should be included about how physically activity makes them feel and the importance of being active for life.
Proposed Plan:
Before starting on themes:
If it is the first time the students have learnt creative dance some lessons on the elements of dance would be appropriate. Brehm and McNett (2008) have some great lesson plans and a thorough introduction to dance elements and implementing them into lessons. One lesson they describe has a focus on safety (pp 2-3). The students learn about moving in a small space, they have their own bubble to move in, they then gradually move through the space looking for and moving through empty space. Brehm and McNett (2008) also describe a lesson using opposites (for example tight and loose: tightening muscles then let them go loose) which would also be a good introduction to dance elements lesson (p. 180).
Theme One: Exploring emotions through movement
In this theme the objectives of the lessons will be to explore emotions through dance. See lesson plan “Expressing Feelings with the Freeze Game” adapted from Grizz, 1998, p.37 (lesson plans page) and lesson plan “Group Shapes: Conflict Resolution” adapted from Grizz, 1998, p.27 (lesson plans page) for examples. Another great lesson I found was on Council of Ontario drama and dance educators (CODE) website “Introducing Creative Dance: Lesson 4 - Dance my Feelings” http://www.code.on.ca/resource/introducing-creative-dance#section-4
Theme Two: Connecting with nature through movement
In this theme the objective of the lessons is to connect to elements of nature, feeling emotions felt when in nature and expressing them through dance. A lesson idea from Grizz, 1998, p.7: objective to “explore aspects of themselves that may be hard to teach: dancing attributes of the wind, from gentle breezes to wild hurricanes and forceful tornadoes, timid children can express their physical power, while aggressive children can find peacefulness of being soft, of floating.”
Theme Three: Engaging with Culture; Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities
In this theme the objective of these lessons is to strengthen the self-pride and connection with place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and to strengthen respect and empathy of other students for different cultures in particular the culture of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. Lesson idea: objective to show through dance the connection this cultural group has towards nature and country. The most effective way to explore this will be to have someone from the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community take the children through traditional dance movements it is advantageous that these skills are learnt directly from an indigenous person, or at least after consultation with Aboriginal and TSI people. Van Issum discusses that to teach indigenous perspectives the material must be developed in consultation with Aboriginal and TSI people (2012). Inviting local indigenous people to the school will also encourage positive, collaborative relationships with the local community (Van Issum, 2012). If an actual indigenous dancer is not available to run the activity it may be deemed suitable to watch a live performance or a video then have the children make movements/dance based on Australian animals.