BC Education - Dance 11 and 12 - Appendix D: Assessment and Evaluation

Sample 4: Choreography Grade 12

Topic: Multicultural Carousel

Prescribed Learning Outcomes:

Elements of Movement

It is expected that students will:

apply principles of movement to dance exploration

Creation and Composition

It is expected that students will:

create compositions for a variety of purposes:
- to respond to or represent a range of stimuli
- for a variety of audiences
- for a variety of settings
- to represent different points of view
apply the principles of design to create dances in a wide range of pattern and narrative choreographic forms

Presentation and Performance

It is expected that students will:

demonstrate skills and attitudes appropriate to the role of the choreographer in presenting dance:
- ability to lead a group effectively
- respect for others' contributions
- commitment to the rehearsal process
- ability to seek and apply constructive criticism
evaluate structure, style, and meaning in dance in terms of:
- technical and aesthetic use of the elements of movement
- representation of style or genre
- choreographic form, design, and roles
- use of stagecraft

Dance and Society

It is expected that students will:

analyse the cultural and historical influences on their choreography

Overview

This unit involved students in a series of research and presentation activities. Students created a multicultural carousel dance to celebrate and educate the community about cultural diversity. Evaluation was based on:

individual skills and attitudes demonstrated throughout the unit
small-group choreography of dances with essential elements from chosen cultures

Planning for Assessment and Evaluation

Students reflected a diversity of cultures and levels of dance skills and experience. Some students had several years of dance education and some had no experience.

With teacher direction, students assessed the multicultural diversity of the class. The class identified that all Canadians, except Aboriginal people, had ancestors who immigrated to Canada. Students were invited to volunteer information about their cultural origins and to seek additional information from family members.
The teacher invited students to demonstrate and teach traditional dances from their respective cultures. For example, one student brought a Scottish kilt and swords; another student brought Filipino sticks used in dances (tinikling); and an Aboriginal student brought in her mother to talk about Aboriginal dances and the importance of passing on traditional dances. Students and teachers discussed the similarities and differences in terms of the costumes, music, elements of movement , and social context s of the dances.
Students worked in small groups to each research and analyse a traditional dance in terms of the elements of movement . (Students in each group did not necessarily choose a dance from their own cultures.) The class discussed ways of collecting information, using community resources as well as electronic and print resources. Most groups were able to interview community members or groups (e.g., multicultural associations, Aboriginal elders) as part of their research.
Through group discussion, participation, and shared leadership, each group created an original dance (no longer than two minutes) that included the essential aspects of the traditional dance they had researched. Before they began, all students received copies of the criteria and rating scales that would be used to assess their work. Each dance included an entrance and exit, costumes, and music. Students selected music with a multicultural theme: some students chose popular tunes with lyrics promoting unity and respect for all cultures; other students mixed recordings of music from various cultures.
Students recorded their group choreography (e.g., audiotapes, journals) and analysed the cultural and historical influences on their dances. Group members then practised their dances together. The groups also observed one another's dances and gave feedback.
The groups then worked together to combine all the dances into a multicultural carousel dance to convey the importance of respecting and celebrating cultural diversity. With teacher direction, students focus sed on the similarities and differences of dance moves in each culture and created a sequence that incorporated all the cultural dances created by the groups.
Students performed the dance carousel for the community, using international flags in the performance. The dance was videotaped for self- and teacher evaluation.

Defining the Criteria

Individual Skills and Attitudes

willingly participates in collaborative choreography
demonstrates individual commitment
effectively takes on a leadership role in group or class activities
shows energy and enthusiasm
consistently takes responsibility
perseveres and concentrates
is sensitive to the needs of other choreographers; is supportive and encouraging
seeks constructive feedback and offers feedback to others

Group Choreography Project

shows sensitivity to cultural music, costumes, and style
demonstrates consistent and appropriate styling
demonstrates understanding of structure (clear beginning, smooth transitions, strong
and clear ending)
consciously applies the principles of movement
consciously applies the principles of design
develops original and creative work

Assessing and Evaluating Student Performance

The teacher and students used two rating scales to evaluate work in this unit: one for skills and attitudes appropriate to the role of choreographer and one for the small-group choreography project. The teacher also collected students' journals and viewed the performance videotapes to collect evidence for evaluation. All students had copies of the rating scales as they worked. The scales were frequently used throughout the year for self- and teacher evaluation.

**Skills and Attitudes**
Criteria	Not Evident	Developing	Competent	Powerful
willingly participates in collaborative choreography
demonstrates individual commitment
effectively takes a leadership role in group or class activities
shows energy and enthusiasm
consistently takes responsibility
perseveres and concentrates
is sensitive to the needs of other choreographers; is supportive and encouraging
seeks and offers constructive feedback
Overall Rating
Comments

**Group Choreography Project**
Rating	Criteria
4 Outstanding	The group creates a dance that demonstrates a high degree of sensitivity to traditional music, costumes, and elements of movement that characterize the style. The choreography contains an effective structure and essential components put together in a dynamic way. There is strong evidence of the application of the principles of movement and design in the dance.
3 Very Good	The group creates a well-conceived dance and demonstrates all required criteria.
2 Meets Basic Requirements	The group creates a dance that reflects an awareness of traditional music, costumes, and style. The choreography contains some evidence of structure and principles of movement. Some components of choreography are present, but they need to be worked on.
1 Fails to Meet Basic Requirements	The group creates a dance that reflects some of the required elements of music, costumes, and style, but these tend to be weakly defined, poorly integrated with the dance, and often confusing. The choreography fails to adequately demonstrate the principles of movement and design.

Revised: January 25, 1999

BC Ministry of Education Home Page