SEMESTER-LONG PERFORMING ARTS

DANCE Dance Standards

Additional Program Information

The overall goal of the dance program is to foster a positive self-confidence in students by encouraging them to explore their movement-artistry and technical skills in the studio-classroom. The dance skills studied in the program are not limited to creating performances. They transfer self-awareness, healthy practices, and expressive arts-appreciation to many areas of education and life. Students learn the potential of dance-arts to connect with their creative self, other collaborators, and the broader community.

DANCE: INTRODUCTION

MS Dance: Introduction

This dance class is open-level with instruction designed to help students develop proper technique, confidence and nurture their passion, leadership potential & creativity. Students will learn the technical skills needed to perform a variety of dance styles – usually, but not limited to Jazz, Hip-Hop, and Contemporary-Ballet basics. In addition, students will understand studio-classroom structures and “habits of mind” learning activities within the creative / design-cycle.

Unit Titles

MS Dance Studio Habits

Essential Questions

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

• How does dance deepen our understanding of ourselves, other knowledge, and events around us?

BEST Dance Elements

• How do dancers work with elements of dance to express artistic ideas?

• Where do choreographers get ideas for dances?

Dance-Arts & Creativity

• How does a dancer heighten artistry in a public performance?

• What criteria are used to evaluate dance?

MS Dance & Community

• Why and how do people dance?

• How does knowing about societal, cultural, historical and community experiences expand dance literacy?

DANCE: INTERMEDIATE

MS Dance: Intermediate

This class is for students interested in further development of previous dance techniques and expressivemovement learning. Students must have previous dance experience, demonstrate proficiency in movement sequences, and/or permission of the teacher. Students will continue to build upon and improve their dance techniques, as well as investigating dance cultures or dance-artists. Additionally, students will have opportunities to create their own dance sequences, music videos, and/or develop their improvisation skills. Students enrolled are encouraged to audition for MSDT (Middle School Dance Team), which practices after school for special performance events in the ISB community.

Unit Titles Essential Questions

Studio Habits to Stage

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

• How is the human body like a machine? How/Why is it not?

Dance Performance and Improvisation

• What influences choice-making in creating choreography?

• How does dance deepen our understanding of ourselves, other knowledge, and events around us?

MS Digital Dance & Creativity

• How is a dance understood? How does dance invoke emotion?

• How do dance-artists use self-reflection to improve the quality of their work?

MS Dance & Community

• Where do choreographers get ideas for dances?

• How does a dancer heighten artistry in a public performance? How is dance interpreted?

Drama

Drama Standards

Unit Titles

Creating

Essential Questions

• How do my creative choices best express my ideas and intent?

• How do artists convey meaning?

• What is more important, intent or effect?

Performing

Responding

Connecting

• What factors influence artistic expression?

• What is my responsibility to my audience?

• Has our artistic intention been realized? How do we know?

• How does my knowledge and experience influence my engagement with the work?

• How does feedback impact the creative process and final performance?

• What makes a performance “great”?

• How do the arts reflect and shape history, culture and society?

• How does my knowledge and experience influence my engagement with the work?

The overall goal of the drama program is to foster a positive self-confidence in students by encouraging them to explore through dramatic skills learned in this course. The dramatic skills studied in the program are not limited to creating a stronger stage performer. They transfer in all areas of education by aiding students to become more self-confident, better public speakers, and creative presenters.

Methods of instruction in drama are planned, and not limited to, a series of practical explorations, teach- er-led conferencing, student-led peer review, student devised & improvisational projects, discussions, and reflections on individual and group work.

Additional Course Information

Drama (for Grade 7 and 8 - for all levels): This program explores, in detail, three main theatre forms and offers students more opportunities for performance. Within these course students go deeper into character exploration, feeling and expression and begin to understand more about the devising process, through basic script writing and play development. Many theatre forms are explored throughout the semester- examples of practices studied in this course are, and not limited to, Physical Theatre, Improvisational Theatre, Realism, etc.

Students can take this course for both semesters in Grade 7 and 8. Units are designed to help all students in a variety of levels reach their own potential. Additionally, the course map has been created to introduce and balance theatrical traditions from around the world.