Dance 6
Creation and Composition

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:

interpret and move in response to a variety of sounds, images, feelings, and music
create movement sequences using choreographic forms, individually and with others
apply the creative process to revise dance compositions
alter dance sequences by transforming movements

To view the prescribed learning outcomes for Creation and Composition in other grades click on an icon below.

Suggested Instructional Strategies

Have students work in groups to create stories with a beginning, middle, and end. Ask each group to create a dance for its story, incorporating music, props, and costumes as appropriate. Explore ways in which students could notate their dance sequences (e.g., using symbols, colours, textures, computer notation, flip books, video). Compile their stories in a binder for future reference, incorporating the notations of the sequences.
As a class, view a dance that portrays a theme. Students use shadow puppets to provide their own interpretations of the same theme.
Assemble a range of headgear (e.g., baseball caps, stetsons, bandanas, berets, firefighter helmets). Ask each student to select a hat, think of a character who would wear it, and then create movements appropriate for that character. Have students expand this activity to character portraits, including information such as where they live and what they do. Guide them in critically examining gender or cultural stereotypes related to these characters.
Have each student select an isolated movement and a location (e.g., under the table, in the doorway, around the flagpole), and try the movement in that space. Ask students to report on their experiences. Discuss with the class how movements altered for one environment could be transformed to create a unique dance.
Create two decks of index cards, one with words describing movements and the other with words describing emotions. Have each student draw one card from each deck and then ask students to perform their emotion-inspired movements one after another in sequence. Invite them to consider how they could reorder or combine the individual movements to refine the sequence.

Suggested Assessment Strategies

Provide students with dance experiences from a variety of cultures. Ask them to select and combine elements of movement and dance techniques that are typical of each culture. Then, in pairs or small groups, have students choose a culture and create a dance sequence that reflects the cultural style and form. Note:
- imaginative responses to music
- responses to music cues and rhythm
- complexity of students' dances
- extent to which students create dances that suit the music of particular cultures, especially the rhythm and lyrics
- use of the creative process to revise the dances
As students design choreographic forms with movement, have them work with partners to obtain feedback to refine their compositions. Look for evidence that each student:
- is willing to revise the dance sequence based on feedback
- changes one of the elements of movement to improve the sequence in response to feedback
- expressively interprets the story through the movements
Ask students to record and reflect on their dance experiences. Review their responses and note the extent to which they are able to:
- accurately identify elements of movement, separately and in combination
- accurately record the processes of revising and refining
- reflect on areas of strength and weakness
- make personal connections to artistic expression