Dance 7
Dance and Society

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:

compare dances from a variety of historical and cultural contexts
describe the purposes of dance in various cultures
analyse the roles portrayed in a variety of dances
assess personal and career opportunities in dance

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

Suggested Instructional Strategies

On video or in live performance, view dances from a range of cultures. Ask students to brainstorm a list of the similarities and differences they see in the dances. Encourage them to focus on the techniques, music, historical context, use of costumes, and purpose of each dance. Students then form groups to use this information to invent a new "society." Finally, they present their "society" through cultural aspects such as dance, music, and costume.
Have students work in groups to select heroes from popular culture and to create dance sequences portraying them. Ask students to include selected or created music and stagecraft. After each sequence, ask the class to discuss how the hero represents values in today's society.
Invite pairs of students to prepare and present a radio or TV report on the roles presented in a given dance (e.g., male and female, leader and follower, good and evil).
Have the class brainstorm career opportunities related to dance. Conduct a field trip to a location where dance is used in the workplace (as performance, recreation, or therapy). Then ask students to reflect on the field trip in their journals and record how they might use dance in their own lives. Invite students to share their thoughts with their peers or their dance mentors.
Conduct a class debate on a resolution that focusses on the function of dance in society. For example:
- "Women dance more than men."
- "The federal government should ban alcohol and tobacco company sponsorship of arts events."
- "Dance contributes to the economy."

Suggested Assessment Strategies

Ask students to work in groups to select dance careers or recreational opportunities involving dance to research and present to the class. Encourage them to use a variety of resources in their research. Have them include summaries, taped interviews, charts, slide shows, dramatizations, or visual displays in their presentations. As students present their research to the class, observe the extent to which they:
- include complete, accurate, and engaging information about the careers or recreational opportunities
- collect relevant information from a variety of resources
- present their research in clear and easy-to-understand formats
- attempt to engage the audience
Have each student choose two dance styles in which to compare and contrast the roles of men and women. Ask students to create Venn diagrams to illustrate their findings. Collect the Venn diagrams and look for evidence that students are aware of gender roles and are able to:
- identify similarities and differences
- include roles for both men and women
- identify differences in gender roles in dances from different cultures
- include relevant and accurate details
- clearly present their findings
Invite students to individually research one dance from a culture different from their own. Have them practise, demonstrate, and teach their dances to the class. Provide opportunities for the class to discuss similarities and differences in the various dances presented. During the discussions and demonstrations, note the extent to which students:
- accurately represent the dance styles they have chosen
- clearly identify the similarities and differences of the dances
- accurately describe the purposes of the dances
- make logical connections between dances from different cultures