Chapter 29 Skill Themes in Dance

Chapter 29 Key Points Chapter aims to foster an understanding of the teaching of movement concepts and skill themes in dance Even teachers with little or no formal dance experience can make dance an exciting and enjoyable experience for students Several purposes for dance in the curriculum Children Moving classifies dance experiences into: Rhythmic dance Folk, ethnic, and square dance Creative dance

The Purpose of Dance Dance experiences in physical education should give children: The ability to use their bodies to express feelings and attitudes A sense of satisfaction from effectively using their bodies as an instrument of expression Enjoyment and appreciation of dance as a worthwhile physical activity for everyone Ability to interpret and move to different rhythms

Types of Dance Rhythmic Experiences Focus on children’s ability to move to a rhythm Folk, Ethnic, and Square Dances Focus on structured dance forms of a particular culture Creative Dance Focuses on creativity and expression

Skill Themes in Dance Teaching Children Dance: Unstructured Forms Prior to learning structured forms of dance, children need experience in moving freely in response to their internal rhythm Children need experience in performing locomotor movements in free space in response to various rhythms Children Moving focuses on: Rhythmic dance: emphasis on children’s ability to move to rhythm Creative dance: emphasis on provoking creativity and expression.

Chapter 29: Skill Themes in Dance Teaching Children Dance: Unstructured Forms (cont) Rhythmic and creative dance are many a times taught concurrently during a lesson Very young children are usually in tune with their bodies; hence it will be important for teachers to provide expressive dance experiences that enhance this innate expressive ability

Progression in Teaching Rhythmic Experiences Children move to their own internal rhythm (fundamental body actions and traveling skills) Children move to an external rhythm (such as a drumbeat) imposed by the teacher Manipulatives are added to the rhythmic experiences (i.e., streamers, scarves, lummi sticks, balls, jump ropes) Use of teacher‑designed routines to elicit group responses to a given rhythm Use of student‑designed routines (alone, with a partner, with a group) combining various movement qualities and patterns (i.e., jump rope routines, ball handling routines to music)

Progression in Teaching Creative Dance Children develop sensitivity to and awareness of movement through exploration (focusing on fundamental body actions and traveling skills) Children perform tasks that focus on the spatial quality of the movement (use the movement concepts to help children realize the potential of a movement) Children explore movement as a tool for self expression (expressing an idea, attitude, or feeling) Children structure their communicative movements into organized forms (sequencing) Children design a dance (structuring several sequences into a whole)

Chapter 29 Key Points Teaching Children Dance: Structured Forms Folk and square dance: Range from simple to very complex. Require competence in moving to a designated rhythm before they can be completed successfully

Chapter 29 Key Points Some Teaching Points Expressive dance content consists of the majority of the skills themes categorized under locomotor and non-manipulative as depicted in the wheel Movement concepts are used to heighten and expand children’s movement possibilities as they express themselves Dance ideas are found throughout skill theme chapters, especially in Chapter 19 (Traveling)

Chapter 29 Key Points Some Teaching Points (cont) It is a professional responsibility to include dance in the physical education program. All children should have opportunity to experience creative movement and rhythmic experiences For some students, dance may well be one of their lifetime choices for physical activity

Movement Analysis Framework: The Wheel