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Lesson Abstract:  During this lesson, students will use Laban effort qualities and dynamics to enhance their performance for choreographed movement phrases in preparation of their upcoming performance. Students will watch a video of a section of their dance at the beginning of class and work collaboratively in groups to assess themselves based on a previously developed performance rubric. Next the class will review their knowledge and embodiment of effort and dynamics through a guided movement exploration. As a class, we will then choose two moments within a section of the piece to focus on improving through use of the Laban framework. There will be opportunities for students to work in pairs during this time to observe and provide feedback to one another as well as opportunities to coach one another through the revision and rehearsal process. Finally we will document our progress through a second video and students will have another chance to observe and reflect upon their performance using the performance criteria as part of their homework assignment.

Rehearsal and Revision through the LMA Framework

Sample Lesson Plans 

Below are sample lesson plans that were created and implemented in elementary and secondary public school dance programs.  


 

 

 

 

 

 

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* If you would like to view highlights from this lesson, please contact me to request the video.  *

Interdisciplinary Dance Lessons

 

Below is a link to a lesson from an interdisciplinary unit that was co-created for kindergarten students in the afterschool CARE program at Conerly Road Elementary school in Franklin, NJ.  Over the course of eight sessions, students explored mathematical and weather concepts through dance aligning to both Common Core Curriculum for Math and Science and the National Dance Standards.  We brainstormed how different types of weather made students feel, and activities that they associated with these kinds of weather. We then explored these actions and feelings through stationary (non-locomotor) and traveling (locomotor) movements.  From these explorations, the class collaborated to add, or choreograph, actions together to create two “mini dances:” a sun dance and a rain dance.  Students combined their individual class exploration to create a culminating dance to perform for the other CARE dance class and their families.  

* Please contact me, if you would like to know more about this interdisciplinary unit.  *

Select Interdisciplinary Unit Visuals

USA Map Dance Visual 

Mini Rain Dance Equation

Ideokinesis and Erik Hawkins

Lesson Abstract:  A co-created lesson plan for high school students.  The purpose of the lesson is to help dancers become self-aware through guided ideokinesis movement explorations.  Students will work collaboratively to guide one another through an embodied experience by integrating literary analysis and movement.  The lesson aims to answer the following guiding questions:  

  • What are some strategies which will ready students for mind and body integration?

  • What must a dancer do to prepare the mind and body for artistic expression?

  • In what ways does ideokinesis aid dancers heightened kinesthetic and cognitive awareness?

To view the detailed lesson plan, please click the button below.  

* Please contact me, for supporting documents and additional information concerning this lesson.  *

Warming Up the Brain and Body Lesson Plan 

Lesson Abstract:  A lesson plan for high school students.  The purpose of the lesson is to educate dancers on how to prepare their minds and bodies for movement and learning.  Students will work collaboratively to develop their own warm-up based on the body connectivity patterns and then share their warm-ups with their peers. This lesson aims to answer the following guiding questions.  To view the detailed lesson plan, please click the button below.  

Vaganova Floor Barre

Lesson Abstract:  A lesson plan for high school students.  The purpose of the lesson is to invite students to gain more kinesthetic feedback to enhance their technical ballet training.  Students will be lead through exercises from the Vaganova Curriculum as a floor barre.  At the end of class students will be asked to reflect on how the floor informed their practice and to apply this additional knowledge to their movement in centre work.    

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