Office of Curriculum, Technology, & Assessment

SD Content Standards: Dance

Dance or movement is an integral part of humanity; it is an expression of the values of a society. Dance has roots in every culture and historical period throughout the ages. Teaching dance in South Dakota schools provides students valuable information pertaining to history, culture, fitness, movement acquisition, and aesthetic appreciation. Teaching dance not only offers students knowledge of specific forms of movement, it provides insight into understanding the significance of dance or movement to all cultures.

Movement is an integral part of holistic learning and helps bring together body, mind, and spirit. Movement provides an avenue for becoming aware of the relationships among body, space, time, effort, and various dance patterns. It promotes effective creative thinking, problem solving, communication, and aesthetic criticism practices while building self-esteem. Dance or movement provides opportunities for learning and teaching through multiple intelligences. Additionally, the dance standards assist students in learning skills of social etiquette, of how to interact with others, and of how to show respect for others.

1. Students will understand and use dance as a means for creative self expression and interpersonal communication.
2. Students will understand the elements and techniques used in the creation and performance of dance.
3. Students will understand the relationship between dance and history, culture, and society.
4. Students will demonstrate a capacity for critical and sensitive response to various dance experiences.

*All asterisked words and phrases appear in the Glossary at the end of this section.

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Students will understand and use dance as a means for creative self expression and interpersonal communication.

RATIONALE: Movement provides a way for students to discover exciting approaches to self-expression, problem solving, creative thinking, and communication. Movement or dance can and a way to demonstrate creative interpretation of ideas and concepts. assist in the integration of materials, concepts, and ideas from a variety of sources and curricular areas. This connection provides students with an avenue to find answers to various problems.

1. Understand that dance can express ideas or moods.
2. Use basic movement to share ideas.
3. Explore how movement is used in various activities and events.

1. Describe how dance can tell stories or express ideas or moods.
2. Create movement phrases to portray a story or event.
3. Describe how movement can be used in other disciplines.

1. Interpret dance performances that express concepts, tell stories, evoke moods or emotions and symbolize ideas.
2. Create movement patterns* that communicate ideas or emotions.
3. Use movement patterns to communicate concepts or ideas from other disciplines.

1. Analyze how dance may express concepts, tell stories, evoke moods or emotions and symbolize ideas.
2. Create a dance performance that expresses personal interpretations of ideas or emotions.
3. Use movement patterns to communicate an understanding of themes and concepts from other disciplines.

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Students will understand the elements and techniques used in the creation and performance of dance.

RATIONALE: Students who are given the opportunity to study and experience various forms of movement come to better understand their own bodies in relation to space, time, and effort. Learning different patterns or routines of movement will lead students to a personal understanding of aerobic fitness, muscular endurance, flexibility, strength, balance, and opportunities for leisure pursuits.

1. Understand basic movement elements.
2. Recognize balance and flexibility necessary for specific forms of movement.
3. Understand body awareness utilizing time and space.

1. Recognize the technical skills necessary to execute various movement patterns.
2. Engage in routines which develop strength, balance, and flexibility necessary for movement.
3. Recognize varying dynamics in movement patterns utilizing time* and space*.

1. Examine the technical skills necessary in the presentation of various movement patterns and sequences.
2. Establish routines which develop muscular endurance, strength, balance, and flexibility necessary for specific forms of movement.
3. Examine projection and style in steps and patterns of movement.

1. Analyze the technical skill and consistency necessary in the presentation of various movement patterns and sequences.
2. Analyze appropriate skeletal alignment, body articulation, and coordination necessary within specific forms of movement.
3. Analyze projection* and style* in complex steps and patterns of movement.

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Students will understand the relationship between dance and history, culture, and society.

RATIONALE: Students who are given the opportunity to study and experience dance representing other cultures and time periods gain a deeper understanding of their own and other cultures. Understanding the meaning or message a culture conveys through dance or movement patterns provides a connection to that culture. Knowledge of the relationship between a people and their forms of dance deepens and enriches student understanding of that culture.

1. Understand that different historical periods produced different styles and forms of movement.
2. Recognize ways dance is used in particular cultures.
3. Recognize that people create and perform dance differently.

1. Recognize how historical events have influenced dance.
2. Describe how dance reflects the customs of various cultures.
3. Describe the contribution of selected artists to various forms and styles of dance.

1. Investigate historical events and periods and their influence on dance.
2. Research how dance reflects the customs or traditions of different cultures.
3. Investigate the contributions of recognized artists to various styles of dance.

1. Analyze the relationship between historical events and the development of dance.
2. Research the role* and contribution of dance in reflecting and influencing society in various cultures over time.
3. Analyze the influence of recognized artists on the evolution of specific dance forms.

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Students will demonstrate a capacity for critical and sensitive response to various dance experiences.

RATIONALE: To fully appreciate the nature and dimension of dance, students must develop methods and establish criteria for evaluating the impact and effectiveness of various dance forms, presentations, or performances. Students can further their understanding and appreciation of various dance forms when they actively engage in dance and establish criteria to evaluate their own performance. The appropriate evaluation of any form of dance requires critical and sensitive response to the performance.

1. Understand characteristics that produce a quality dance performance.
2. Express personal likes and dislikes for various dance forms and styles.
3. Describe the quality of personal dance performance.

1. Describe quality of dance using specific criteria.
2. Explain personal preference for specific dance forms and styles.
3. Describe the quality of personal dance performance using specific criteria.

1. Analyze the quality of dance using criteria appropriate for the style.
2. Describe dance preferences using personal aesthetic criteria*.
3. Evaluate the effectiveness of personal dance performances using specific criteria.

1. Evaluate specific forms of dance using appropriate technical and artistic criteria.
2. Justify dance preferences using personal aesthetic criteria.
3. Evaluate the quality and effectiveness of personal dance performances using specific criteria.

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Aesthetic criteria: The standards on which to make judgments about the artistic merit of a work of art.

Aesthetic qualities: The emotional values and cognitive meanings derived from interpreting a work of art; the symbolic nature of art.

Dynamics: The expressive content of human movement, sometimes called qualities of efforts; dynamics manifest the interrelationships among the elements of space, time, and force/energy.

Force: As related to movement qualities.

Movement patterns: Patterns which consist of distinctive sequences; the way movement is structured to create a specific dance or demonstrate a specific effect; movement patterns oftentimes are repetitive.

Movement quality: The identifying attributes created by the release, follow-through, and termination of energy, which are key to making movement become dance; typical terms denoting qualities include sustained, swing, percussive, collapse, and vibratory and effort combinations such as float, dab, punch, and glide.

Projection: A confident presentation of one's body and energy to vividly communicate movement and meaning to an audience; performance quality.

Role: The impact, influence, or reflective nature of dance in selected aspects of a culture, e.g., occupations, politics, societal trends, etc.

Space: As related to shape and pathways.

Style: A distinctive manner of moving; the characteristic way dance is done, created, or performed that identifies the dance of a particular performer, choreographer, or period.

Technical skill: The degree of precision and proficiency a person demonstrates and maintains within various routines.

Time: As related to rhythm and tempo.

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