Dance Lesson Ideas

Share | | Submit Video of this Lesson

Name of Activity: Wedding Dance

Purpose of Activity: This can be used to review several dances taught throughout the semester. The students can incorporate several styles of dances into their routine or do dances from several eras, depending on the focus of the class. They could start at the 50's, proceed to the 70's, and then the 80's, performing one dance from each of the catagories.

Prerequisites: The students would have had to learn the Foxtrot or the Waltz and various other dances throughout the semester. They could use steps from line dances and incorporate those into their dance routine. This would be a great way to review all of the dances taught in the semester.

Suggested Grade Level: 9-12

Materials Needed: The students can make the music at home or in an available school computer lab. Some possible Web sites to use to show them some of the dances include:

www.glumbert.com
www.dancejam.com

Recommended music: The students will make a CD with one minute of music for the waltz or the Foxtrot. The "breakout" section can be any music that fits the dances they have created. They should conclude with 1 min. of the waltz or the Foxtrot.

Beginning dance formation: Partner, then freestyle and conclude with a partner dance. Different groups can be assigned different criteria. One group can be assigned dances of the 70's, another group Latin dances, a third group dances of the 50's. Their breakout dances should incorporate those styles or eras. This could showcase all of the dances the students have learned for the semester.

Description of Idea

Variations:

Length of each requried dance, music requirement, type of dance used in breakout session, type of dance used to start and stop the sequence.

Assessment Ideas:

Rubric:

Presentation - 30 pts (styles of dance, flow from one to the next, use of music to go with the dances)

Music - 20 pts (depending on resources this can be optional and they can all dance to the same music, or the teacher can have a default CD for those who can not make their music)

Tradtional Dance - 40 points - Foxtrot or Waltz (heads up-looking at partner, proper closed ballroom dance position, fluid movements around floor, change of direction, turns and variety of steps, stays with rhythm of music)

Length of performance - 20 pts (3-5 minutes)

Breakout session - 60 points (Incorporates 3 different dances in "breakout session", demonstrates authentic movements, exhibits creativity with combinations, showmanship, etc.)

Written - 30 points (choreography with descriptions of the dance steps)