BLOG POST #1 - What are the Foundations of Dance?

Responding Statement

Effectively teaching dance in the primary classroom derives from the professional relationships and understandings of student-teacher rapport and a thorough teacher understanding of the Australian curriculum for Creative Arts: Dance or subsequent state syllabus documents. To support student learning and expression through dance, teachers must use the curriculum as a tool to plan, apply and effectively teach the aspects of dance.

 The foundations of dance explore how students learn, make and respond in dance. Addressing the elements of dance; space, time, dynamics and relationships, students broaden their knowledge and skills of dance. Exploring and applying skills and techniques, students develop a movement vocabulary using the body to aesthetically express and communicate. Practicing the processes of dance, students endeavor to choreograph, perform and appreciate diverse types of dance to explore various cultures, emotions, viewpoints, and ideas. 

Figure 1: Summarises student creativity and expression in dance.

Learning in Dance

Commencing my journey of teaching dance in the primary setting, it is evident that I have limited experience or knowledge in dance. Exploring and gaining an appreciation of the Australian curriculum in Creative Arts: Dance (ACARA) documents, I am developing an understanding of the framework that supports the planning and structures my teaching and learning opportunities. The processes of dance; choreography, performance, and appreciation, and elements of dance; space, time, dynamic and relationships, pose to be effective tools to support an endless realm of creativity in student learning.

Making in Dance

I look forward to exploring examples of making and composing tasks that will support student learning over various ages, stage groups and subject areas (KLA's) and how effectively tasks connect to the content descriptors and elaborations of the ACARA curriculum.

Responding in Dance

I am excited to explore both personal responses and examples of student ideas in appreciating dance. I seek to expand my access and selection of resources and teaching strategies to support and develop student learning in dance.


References

ACARA. (2019). Retrieved from Australian Curriculum: https://www.australiancurriculum.edu.au/ 


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