DANCE

An Introduction

Dance provides numerous functions in a society. People experience dance in different

ways and for many different reasons. Most people are aware of dance as a performing art on
stage, screen and media, but dancing can also be a social activity, a form of physical fitness, or a
prime means of expressing cultural heritage and identity. Historically, dance was often
performed in rituals, worship, social celebrations, and as a means of entertainment and self-
expression. Today, dance is still a part of traditional events but also as an element of new
innovative performing experiences.
Dance is the most ephemeral of all the arts although improvements in video technology
have affected the way we presently record and observe dance. Uniquely, dance is also accessible
to many people because one only needs a body to create art through movement. Although
dancing is the most common way people interact with the art of dance, other dance experiences
include choreographing, viewing, and analyzing dance.
The goal of dance education is to inform and enable students to appreciate and participate
in various aspects of dancing: creating/choreographing, performing, and responding to dance.
Students learn the craft of choreography, giving them an opportunity to become creative artists,
as they practice using a variety of choreographic tools and devices. A wide range of dance styles
and techniques are studied, from traditional folk dances to highly evolved classical ballet or
modern techniques, from ethnic and cultural dances like those found in India or Africa to
numerous contemporary urban dances. Learning how to understand and interpret dance
performance can open the door to a lifetime involvement with dancing. When students are given
opportunities to watch dance performances, live or on video, this helps them define what makes
dance movement interesting, meaningful, or artistic to them.
In the best circumstances, very young children have early opportunities to experience
dance through simple rhythmic movements, such as being rocked, or rhythmic moving games
like playing “patty cake” or skipping games like “Ring Around the Rosie.” Parents or guardians
and preschool teachers should also encourage children to engage in expressive movements.
Encouraging children to express themselves by dancing freely to music, leading “freeze dance”
games with stopping and starting cues, and inspiring children to create imaginative shapes with
their bodies.
During the elementary and middle school years, dance can be integrated into physical
education and music classes; however, it is best to have dance taught as a separate discipline by
teachers who are experts in the field of dance and creative movement. Dance can also be an
integral component of academic learning in more multifaceted curriculums. At the high school
level, students should be offered a series of elective dance courses that involve performing,
creating, and responding to many types of dance performances.
The Artistic Processes in Dance

CREATE

Connecticut dance standards call for students to learn about the craft of choreography.
To begin, students learn a variety of choreographic skills and processes. Through exploration and
experimentation, they learn how to create and conceptualize their own choreographic ideas. By
using a wide variety of sources for artistic inspiration and varying circumstances, students learn
where choreographers get their ideas.
Students also investigate how to organize and develop artistic ideas. They learn to
compose dances by using a range of choreographic devices and structures, and using
improvisation, experimentation, collaboration and revision to discover new choreographic
methods. Learning to express emotions and ideas through movement is investigated, culminating
in the development of an artistic statement that communicates personal, cultural, and artistic
points of view.
Finally, students learn to refine choreography to completion by improving their ability to
analyze, evaluate, revise, and refine. By applying suggestions or feedback from others and self-
reflection, students learn to look at composition in new ways. Students practice articulating ideas
and artistic intent verbally and by means of various notation methods, to include the use of
pictorial symbols and dance vocabulary. Media technologies are employed artistically, and to
depict and record dance movements and document choreographic compositions.

PERFORM

Throughout history, people have danced for social, cultural, and theatrical reasons.
Connecticut standards endorse the cultivation of student dancing for all purposes by expanding
their ability to express, embody, and present themselves in dance performance.
Investigating how the body relates to space, time, music, and energy supports dance
expression. Students explore their relationship to space by making static and dynamic shapes,
understanding travel pathways, using inward and outward focus, and discovering how to use
levels and facings. A dancer’s use of time and music are essential tools of expression; therefore,
by developing musical awareness and teaching basic music concepts, students learn to recognize,
physicalize, and interpret various rhythms, tempi, and eventually complex phrasing. Students
then discover the power of expression through the use of energy and dynamics. They learn to
recognize various qualities of movement and develop vocabulary to describe movement
characteristics. By distinguishing among movement qualities, students discover how to direct
their own energy and select various dynamics for performance.
Students embody dance by developing and refining artistic techniques and preparing their
minds and bodies for performance. First, students learn how to move in various simple or
complex formations while maintaining personal space (examples: lines, circles, diagonals).
Learning and refining dance technique expands the students’ movement options and strengthens
their bodies. They learn a variety of fundamental dance skills to include: functional alignment,
core support, balance, weight shifting, and body patterning. They also discover strategies to
achieve performance accuracy by creating personal goals and solving movement problems.
Utilizing healthful practices (optimal eating habits, improving strength and flexibility, applying
injury prevention methods, and increasing stamina) further prepares their bodies for
performance. Middle and high school students learn basic anatomy and investigate the effects of
nutrition and proprioceptive feedback on the dancing body to further refine embodiment.
 Performing is usually the highlight of every student’s dance education, and helping
students utilize additional production elements teaches them how to enhance artistry. They
discover the impact of props, lighting, costumes, scenery, and media projections on a
performance. Also, presenting dance in traditional and alternative performance venues further
challenges students to think about the overall effect of a dance performance, and supports
experimental performing experiences.

RESPOND

Discovering and articulating the meaning of an artistic work is key to appreciating,

understanding, and responding to dance performances. Students learn to analyze, interpret and
critique dances to refine their skills of observation.
To comprehend the meaning of a dance, students practice finding and describing
movements observed. By analyzing dance works of different genres and styles, students look for
recurring movement patterns, qualities, and characteristics. Then by noticing the differences or
similarities of various dance genres and cultural movement practices, students are challenged to
discover what makes each dance unique. Giving them opportunities to explain how dance
communicates aesthetic and cultural values also strengthens their ability to perceive and analyze
artistic work.
Dance is interpreted by considering artistic intent, meaning, and artistic expression as
communicated through the use of the body, elements of dance, technique, structure, and context.
To develop a discerning eye, students observe dance performance and share impressions, ideas,
and context cues from movements observed. Further reinforcing their dance vocabulary, students
practice verbalizing their interpretations of dance movements and theorizing possible meaning.
Developing criteria for evaluating dance across many genres, styles, and cultures helps
students define what makes dance movement interesting, meaningful, or artistic. Students learn
to identify characteristics of various dance genres and cultural dances, while considering societal
and personal values, to define their own personal artistic preferences.

CONNECTING

Dance connects us to a society or culture in many universal and personal ways that
deepen our understanding of our world and ourselves. Synthesizing personal knowledge and
experiences with an understanding of dance movements, reinforces how students perceive the
feelings and ideas evoked in a dance work and its impact on them.
To discover the big ideas in a dance work, students compare how other art forms
(example: literature, visual arts) express an idea or feeling. Students also learn the context and
historical developments of various dance genres or styles through research, lecture-
demonstration, creating a dance study, or working on a capstone project. Integrating personal
experiences with knowledge and context helps students connect with dance.
Dance is all around us. Students deepen their connection to dance and its value to a
society by noticing dance in their homes, communities, and in the media. Then by observing
other cultural or historic dances performed in their natural environment or time, students
discover how other cultures and societies experience dance. Students discuss how dances from a
variety of cultures, societies, historical periods, or communities reveal the ideas and perspectives
of the people. Exercises that promote written and verbal communication skills are emphasized to
improve dance literacy and a deeper connection to dance.