Dance Lesson Plan Template

Course: Advanced Dance

Intern: Marissa Dunsmore Clinical Teacher: Marilyn Daw
Date Submitted: Date to Be Taught: Friday September 19th
Unit/Lesson Concept: Choreographic Devices

Essential Questions: What role does choreography in the form of theme and variation play in
communicating dance content? How does it affect the way the audience views the dance
sequence? Why do we create dances using theme and variation as a format?


Standards

National Core Arts Standard:
DA:CR2.1.HS.II: Work individually and collaboratively to design and implement a variety of
choreographic devices and dance structures

NC Essential Standard:
I.CP.1.1: Create dance sequences that vary the use of dance elements, use simple
choreographic structures, and use choreographic principles to fulfill choreographic intent.
I.CP.1.2: Create dances that use a variety of forms (such as AB, ABA, canon, rondo, theme and
variation, retrograde, chance) for organizational structure.

Clarifying Objective: The learner will demonstrate understanding of various aspects of theme
and variation in dance choreography.

Objectives
Specific Objectives: The learner will alter an original dance sequence using the choreographic
structure of theme and variation to create their own, additional phrase.

Assessments

Formative assessments: The first task of this lesson will be a class discussion. First we will talk
about the ways in which the students have previously altered dance material given to them. Their
last project, assigned by Mrs. Daw, was to create a dance phrase that was a complete contrast
to the original. I will ask the students to describe this process. From there I will tell them how
theme and variation is different from the types of choreographic structures they have used in the
past. I will tell them that theme and variation involves keeping the original movements but altering
other aspects about the dance. I will try to get the students to name these other aspects. Some
of the aspects include, facing, repetition, duration, start/stop, retrograde, etc. While the students
are naming some of these choreographic devices I will begin writing them on the wipe off board
for them to refer to when they are working on their project. If they need additional help coming up
with devices, I will encourage them to think more about dance principles and hopefully they will
be able to come up with as many of them, on their own, as possible. However, I do recognize
that some of the devices are completely new to the students. These are ones I will define,
demonstrate, and urge the students to use in their projects.

Dance Lesson Plan Template

During the students work time I will be mingling around the room to see how they are
progressing. I will be asking them what types of devices they are using and tell them whether or
not I am clearly seeing those devices. I will also suggest each group to use a device they have
yet to try. By doing this, I can start to see whether or not the students are beginning to
understand how to use theme and variation devices in their choreography.

Summative assessments:

Below is the rubric for the students theme and variation project. They are responsible for
collaboratively creating a phrase (2 sets of 8) with their peers, performing it for myself and the
other groups, and writing a reflection about what affect theme and variation has on choreography
and the other essential questions.

Criteria Below
Standards
Approaching
Standards
Meets
Standards
Excels
Standards
Used given
choreographic
form
Student
demonstrated
a minimal
understanding
of theme and
variation
Student
demonstrated a
limited
understanding
of theme and
variation
Student
demonstrated
an
understanding
of theme and
variation
Student
demonstrated a
strong
understanding
of theme and
variation
Effort/Planning Demonstrated
minimal effort
and planning
Demonstrated
limited effort and
planning
Demonstrated
good effort and
planning
Demonstrated
excellent effort
and planning
Performance Skills Performed
with minimal
energy and
emotion
Performed with
limited energy
and emotion
Performed with
good energy
and emotion
Performed with
excellent energy
and emotion


Written Response No written
response
included
Written
response did not
answer any of
the posed
questions
Written
response
partially
answered the
posed questions
Written
response fully
answered posed
questions



Dance Lesson Plan Template

Skills/Vocabulary:
Duration
Retrograde
Inversion
Stillness
Repetition
Facing
Forms
Choreographic Devices



21st Century Skills:

Communication & Collaboration
Because the students are working in
small groups for the majority of this
lesson they will have to be able to
discuss their ideas and thoughts with
their group members. For them to be
able to complete the project they will
need to be able to call upon their
cooperative skills and suggest ideas
and provide feedback to their group
members ideas about which devices
to use and when to use them.

Productivity & Accountability
Because each group has to perform
their work at the end of class they are
responsible for the completion of
their project. The end of this lesson
involves a tangible showing of what
the students have learned.
Prior knowledge and skills:
Students should already have some experience with choreography, choreography
concepts, and the creative process.
Some familiarity with Dance Elements: Timing, Space, Shape, Dynamic (More
Specifically Timing and Space)
Timing: Tempo, Duration, Rhythm
Space: Symmetry/Asymmetry, Scale
Group Work experience
Practice with In-class Performance Activities
Students will also have been previously taught choreography that will be used for this
project. They would have learned, and been practicing, a dance phrase of 4 sets of 8 that
I taught them prior to this lesson.

Dance Lesson Plan Template








Activities:

1. Students should dress out and find seats as usual
2. Class Discussion (details in formative assessment)
3. Phrase Review (if needed)
Students will have 5-8 minutes to review set material
that was taught prior to this class period, without teacher
assistance
3. Group Project
Students will be split up into small groups of 3 or 4
Their assignment is to create a phrase of 2 sets of 8,
after the original phrase, using the concept of theme and
variation
If the students find they are finished early they will
continue creating until the other groups are finished (this
means some groups may have more than 2 sets of 8)
4. Experiment
Once all of the groups have finished their theme and
variation project they will show for the other groups
After each group performs the audience members will
respond and state what devices they saw the group use
Following this, I will make decisions about which groups
and group members will perform at the same time
o This, at times, will be a random combination of
students. Other performances will be planned so I
can show them ways to frame dances using their
phrases.
If time permits, I will allow certain students, who are
willing, to be the choreographer and make decisions.
Ex: which dancers to use, where to place them, when
they should start, etc.
Blooms Levels
Remembering
Recall choreography
learned in previous
classes
Call upon what they
have learned already
about choreographic
process and forms
Understanding
Recognize theme and
variation devices in
other groups phrases
Recognize theme and
variation devices in own
group work
Analyzing
Students have to
consider how theme and
variation affects
choreography and
respond verbally and
non-verbally
Creating
Make a phrase from a
piece of original
choreography
Resources:
Rubric Handouts

Dance Lesson Plan Template