Course Description
In this course, students explore the teaching and learning of movement through dance from early childhood to adolescence. A variety of dance forms, theories and practical observations are used to examine dance as a vehicle for individual and creative expression.
Course Content
1. Theoretical: Contemporary issues and ideas confronting dance in secondary education
- Gender in dance
- Inclusion of people with differing abilities
- Indigenous First Peoples' principles of learning including acknowledgement and understanding of the residential schools experience
- Heteronormativity
- Multicultural dance (India: Dandiya, Israel: Mayim, New Zealand: Haka, Canada: Red Sky Contemporary Indigenous)
- Observing Dance: subjective response, predetermined criteria, artist's intentions
2. Theoretical: Pedagogy
- Peer teaching, direct teaching, co teaching, facilitating structured improvisation
- Implementing curriculum development: movement concepts unit design
- Assessment strategies (rubrics and criteria)
- Forms of feedback
- Developmentally appropriate activity design
3. Practical: A conceptual approach to the movement elements (space, time, force, body, movement).
- Reframing limitations in creative work: structured improvisations adapted to their students' needs and abilities
- Dynamics in movement applications:
- flow: free and bound
- energy:sudden and sustained
- weight: strong and light
- Composition and choreography
- Selected genres of dance: E.g. Swing/Jive, Contemporary, Ballroom, Hip-hop, etc.
- Introduction to fundamental movement patterns
4. Practical: Integration of British Columbia K-9 arts curriculum
- Holism - mind and body can work together when creating works of art
- Creative experiences involving the interplay between exploration, inquiry and purposeful choice
- Social connection through artistic exploration in creative movement experiences
- Creative expression as a means to explore and share one's identity within a community
Learning Activities
Lecture
Discussion
Reading presentations
Structured Improvisation/Learn by doing
Guided exploration
Observation/Feedback/Reflection
Means of Assessment
Evaluation will be carried out in accordance with Douglas College policy. The instructor will present a written course outline with specific evaluation criteria at the beginning of the semester. Evaluation may include the following:
| Participation |
0-20% |
| Demonstration of conceptual understanding |
0-20% |
| Reading Presentation |
0-15% |
| Unit Plan Assignment |
0-20% |
| Small Group Final Dance Presentation |
0-20% |
| Critical Reflection |
0-15% |
| Total |
100 % |
Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the course, students will be able to:
- Discuss critically and advocate for dance in physical education settings based upon their developed understanding of contemporary issues that confront teachers,
- Plan, design, and facilitate successful creative movement experiences for their students,
- Demonstrate an understanding that human movement is a tool for expressive, artistic, creative movement,
- Demonstrate basic competence in teaching fundamental movement patterns,
- Create rubrics and assessment tools for evaluating dance in physical education settings,
- Articulate understanding of the movement elements in their developing work,
- Observe dance with a developed understanding of varied approaches (subjective, artist's intentions, predetermined criteria),
- Recognize the movement concepts learned in the course beyond educational settings, and
- Demonstrate basic understanding of the creative process as modelled in the B.C. Ministry of Education (K-9) Arts Education Curriculum.
Textbook Materials
Consult the Douglas College Bookstore for the latest required textbooks and materials. Students will require internet access to participate in this course. Example textbooks and materials may include:
Gilbert, A.G. (2015). Creative Dance for all Ages. SHAPE America. Reston, VA.