Dance: Grade 8

Creating

Performing

Responding

Connecting

Generate and Conceptualize Artistic Ideas and Work

Organize and Develop Artistic Ideas and Work

Refine and Complete Artistic Work

Select, Analyze, and Interpret Artistic Work for Presentation

Develop and Refine Artistic Techniques and Work for Presentation

Convey Meaning Through the Presentation of Artistic Work

Perceive and Analyze Artistic Work 

Interpret Intent and Meaning in Artistic Work

Apply Criteria to Evaluate Artistic Work 

Synthesize and Relate Knowledge and Personal Experiences to Make Art

Relate Artistic Ideas and Works with Societal, Cultural, and Historical Context to Deepen Understanding

Implement movement from a variety of stimuli (e.g., music, observed dance, literary forms, notation, natural phenomena, personal experience/recall, current news or social events) to develop dance content for an original dance study or dance.

Identify and select personal preferences to create an original dance study or dance. Use genre-specific dance terminology to articulate and justify choices made in movement development to communicate intent.

Collaborate to select and apply a variety of choreographic devices and dance structures to choreograph an original dance study or dance with a clear artistic intent. Articulate the group process for making movement and structural choices.

Define and apply artistic criteria to choreograph a dance that communicates personal or cultural meaning. Discuss how the criteria clarify or intensify the meaning of the dance.

Revise choreography collaboratively or independently based on artistic criteria, self-reflection, and the feedback of others. Articulate the reasons for choices and revisions and explain how they clarify and enhance the artistic intent.

Experiment with aspects of a recognized system and use the system to document one or more sections of a dance (e.g., writing, a form of notation symbols, or using media technologies).

Sculpt the body in space and design body shapes in relation to other dancers, objects, and environment. Use focus during complex floor and air patterns and/or pathways.

Analyze and select metric, kinetic, and breath phrasing and apply appropriately to dance phrases. Perform dance phrases of different lengths that use various timings within the same section. Use different tempi in different body parts at the same time.

Direct energy and dynamics in such a way that movement is textured. Incorporate energy and dynamics to technique exercises and dance performance. Use energy and dynamics to enhance and project movements.

Embody technical dance skills (e.g., functional alignment, coordination, balance, core support, clarity of movement, weight shifts, flexibility/range of motion) to replicate, recall, and execute spatial designs and musical or rhythmical dance phrases.

Evaluate personal healthful practices in dance activities and everyday life including nutrition and injury prevention. Discuss choices made, the effects experienced, and methods for improvement.

Collaborate with peers to discover strategies for achieving performance accuracy, clarity, and expressiveness. Articulate personal performance goals and practice to reach goals. Document personal improvement over time (e.g., journaling, portfolio, or timeline).

Demonstrate leadership qualities (e.g., commitment, dependability, responsibility, and cooperation) when preparing for performances. Use performance etiquette and performance practices during class, rehearsal, and performance. After the performance, accept notes from choreographer and apply corrections to future performances. Document efforts and create a plan for ongoing improvements.

Collaborate to design and execute production elements that would intensify and heighten the artistic intent of a dance performed on a stage, in a different venue, or for different audiences. Explain reasons for choices using production terminology

Describe, demonstrate, and discuss patterns of movement and their relationships in dance in context of artistic intent.

Explain how the elements of dance are used in a variety of genres, styles, or cultural movement practices to communicate intent. Use genre-specific dance terminology.

Select a dance and explain how artistic expression is achieved through relationships among the elements of dance, use of body, dance technique, dance structure, and context. Cite evidence in the dance to support your interpretation using genre-specific dance terminology.

Use artistic criteria to determine what makes an effective performance. Consider content, context, genre, style, or cultural movement practice to comprehend artistic expression. Use genre-specific dance terminology.

Relate connections found between different dances and discuss the relevance of the connections to the development of one’s personal perspectives.

Investigate two contrasting topics using a variety of research methods. Identify and organize ideas to create representative movement phrases. Create a dance study exploring the contrasting ideas. Discuss how the research informed the choreographic process and deepens understanding of the topics.

Analyze and discuss how dances from a variety of cultures, societies, historical periods, or communities reveal the ideas and perspectives of the people.