TKI - Dance units - Levels 6-8

Level 8 unit: Lines and circles

Overall duration: 20 hours

This unit is based on the following Level 7 learning example from The Arts in the New Zealand Curriculum (page 31):

View, analyse, and respond to a variety of dances that use the circle, chain, and lines as central organisational structures.
Research the ways in which these formations reflect the social or cultural influences of each dance's time and place.
Identify and practically explore a selection of such dances in arrange of dance forms. Choreograph a dance work that involves an extended exploration of one or more of the formations studied.

Strand CI – Communicating and Interpreting in Dance: Students will select, promote, and perform a programme of dance works.
Strand UC – Understanding Dance in Context: Students will research the ways in which dance explores and reflects social, cultural, and historical issues. Students will research the contribution of selected individuals or groups to dance in New Zealand.
Strand PK – Developing Practical Knowledge in Dance: Students will extend their dance skills in the vocabularies, practices, and technologies of a range of dance forms.
Strand DI – Developing Ideas in Dance: Students will initiate and develop dance works that express a point of view on selected issues, concepts, and themes.

Students will:

analyse dances that use the circle, chain, and lines as central organisational structures
research ways in which these formations reflect social and cultural influences
learn the movement vocabulary associated with a selection of dances that use these organisational structures
choreograph and perform a dance work in small groups that shows one or more of the above formations. Each group member must contribute movement and choreographic ideas.

Falling Down Stairs by Mark Morris and cellist Yo-Yo Ma. Available from music/video retail outlets)

Five Dances by Martha Graham. Available from amazon.com