Introduction to Dance
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Welcome to gsa-dance.
Introduction to Dance, at George Stevens Academy, is a class that can be taken for a physical education credit or for a fine arts credit. Students dance in the studio and also look at some historical, cultural and aesthetic forces that have fused dance traditions from different parts of the world, and they study the influence of historical dance forms on contemporary styles.
Class goals are for students to learn and practice the creative use of the elements of dance, develop their body awareness, and survey the varied array of motivations for creating dances.
This photo by Lois Greenfield is of Cloud Gate Dance Theatre (performers of Morning Mist) and was found on the website:
http://www.loisgreenfield.com/dance/594/cloud-gate-dance-theatre_1.html
I. Students will explore, experiment, understand and control the elements of dance for artistic expression .
A. Creating dances : Four Pilobolus dancers in a pinwheel by John Kane
1 Space - Shape Judith Jamison - Alvin Ailey Dance Theater , Focus , Place , Level , Direction , Pathway ,Size
2 Force - Attack , Weight , Strong/Light , Flowhttp://www.loisgreenfield.com/galleries/index.html
3 Time - Beat , Tempo , Accent , Duration , Pattern , Rhythm ,Syncopation
4 Body - Body parts , Body moves ,Steps
II. Students will develop their body awareness through application and lessons.
A. Flexibility
1 Muscles
B. Strength
C. Stamina
1 Breath
2 Pulse
D. Coordination
III. Students will be introduced to and will explore some different reasons for creating dance.
Students will look at some of the cultural forces that have fused dance traditions from different parts of the world and from different times of history.
Students will begin to recognize the influence of historical dance forms on contemporary styles.
A. Cultural
B. Religious
C. Aesthetic
E. Social