Dance 5
Elements of Movement

This sub-organizer contains the following sections:
Prescribed Learning Outcomes
Suggested Instructional Strategies
Suggested Assessment Strategies
Recommended Learning Resources

Prescribed Learning Outcomes

It is expected that students will:

use the elements of movement in combination
identify techniques associated with particular dance styles
demonstrate the principles of movement in dance
identify ways in which safety, fitness, and health affect movement
identify appropriate terminology to describe the elements of movement

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Elements of Movement in other grades click on an icon below.

Suggested Instructional Strategies

Ask students to suggest ways to modify the techniques of a dance they know by changing the elements of movement (e.g., for larger or smaller spaces, as a solo or with partners, using a slower or faster tempo). Ask students to work alone or in groups to practise these modifications and identify each change and its effects.
Establish a routine of student-led or teacher-led warmup and cooldown before and after each dance session. Invite a physical education or biology teacher or a health or dance practitioner from the community to discuss the health and safety issues related to warmup and cooldown. Include a focus on safe ways of stretching and rotating joints. Relate this to an ongoing examination of safety issues, injury prevention, body-image issues, and health and fitness.
Invite high-school students or dance performers from the community to demonstrate correct and incorrect use of the principles of movement (alignment, balance, flexibility, strength, and breathing). Ask students to try each principle. Discuss the benefits of correct use of the principles of movement.
Have students perform short sequences, saying aloud the terminology for each movement as they move (e.g., "step, skip, step, skip; grapevine 2, 3, 4; slither 2, 3, 4").
Place a variety of simple props (e.g., hats, umbrellas, scarves, balls) in a box. Invite each student to select a prop and explore the range of possible movements that incorporate the prop.
Show videos of various dance styles. Teach students the appropriate terminology for describing some of the movements they see. Challenge students to work in pairs, taking turns naming individual movements while their partners perform them.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

Have students create dance sequences related to a curricular theme and then present them to another class. Observe their sequences and conference with them about their presentations. Note the extent to which they are able to:
- accurately identify and describe the elements of movement
- demonstrate elements of movement
- perform movement in time to music
- demonstrate appropriate spatial relationships
After reviewing the principles of movement, ask small groups of students to each create a dance sequence demonstrating two or three principles. With the class, develop criteria for the dance sequences and have them visible as the groups practise. Note students' abilities to:
- accurately demonstrate alignment, breathing, flexibility, balance, or strength
- demonstrate smooth transitions from one step or connection to another
- develop movements that fit with the music, especially the rhythm and lyrics
Following each presentation, ask students to complete the following sentence stems in their journals:
- The best part about the way the group worked together was ---------- .
- The best part of our dance sequence was ----------.
- We met the criteria for a dance sequence by ---------- .
- One thing I noticed about myself was ---------- .
Collect students' journals and look for evidence that they are aware of the principles of movement and are able to accurately self-assess their abilities to meet the criteria.