I have found that students find physical expression difficult especially with their peers. I have also found that teaching “Dance” in a ten-or twenty-week program (meeting twice a week) difficult because of the frustration on the students’ part with the muscle control necessary which can only be obtained with years of study. My main objective in this unit is for the student to obtain confidence in movement as well as understand the power available when this confidence moves into their everyday life. The frustration will be alleviated by allowing the students to use everyday movements including current “street or rap dances” as the basis to begin creating their own movements. By breaking down these familiar movements choreographic skills such as design and phrasing can be easily demonstrated.
With this basic introduction to choreography the students will read the selected literature from which they will find ideas to express in movement. I use the word “movement” throughout the unit simply because the word “dance” seems to imply a certain amount of skill and technique which the student in most cases will not have. This unit limits the literature choices to those falling in the area of “Family Ties in Latin American Fiction.” This will be beneficial in that family situations and family characters are something that the students can clearly associate and find motivation to create movement. This choice of literature could change to fit the needs of different classes.
(Recommended for Dance, Drama, and English classes, grades 7-12)
Key Words
Choreography Literature Dance Drama Exercises Performances Latin American
