Develops technical proficiency and creative movement skills across various styles. Examines choreographic principles alongside the historical and cultural origins of diverse global dance forms.
A graduate-level sequence exploring creative movement as a rigorous Practice-as-Research (PaR) methodology. It bridges phenomenological philosophy and somatic practice to investigate academic questions through the body.
A graduate-level sequence exploring advanced pedagogical frameworks for creative movement facilitation. Students deconstruct somatic cues, developmental patterns, trauma-informed practices, and neurodiverse scaffolding to design inclusive and effective movement workshops.
A vibrant and active introduction to Hispanic music and culture for Kindergarten students. Students explore the Spanish guitar, maracas, dance steps like Salsa, and concepts of tempo through hands-on making, movement games, and collaborative performance.
A first-grade introduction to global dance traditions, exploring dance as communication, storytelling, community building, and performance art. Students learn basic movements from Hula, folk dances, and ballet while developing cultural appreciation and creative expression.
A high-energy dance sequence for Pre-K students focusing on body isolations, dynamics, rhythm, and stylized movement through a 'Neon Jungle' theme. Students will learn the building blocks of jazz dance while developing coordination and musicality.
A high-energy introduction to Jazz dance for Kindergarteners, focusing on rhythm, isolations, parallel alignment, and movement dynamics. Students learn to find the beat, move individual body parts, and perform a basic jazz combination.
This sequence introduces Kindergarten students to Contemporary and Creative Dance. It covers breath-led movement, safe floor transitions, the concepts of contraction and release, emotional expression through shape, and guided improvisation.
A foundational ballet sequence for Kindergarteners exploring posture, turnout, basic movements, and balance through creative imagery and playful instruction.
A foundational dance sequence for Kindergarteners focusing on personal space (kinesphere), levels, pathways, and locomotor movements like skipping and galloping. Students learn to move safely and creatively while developing body control and balance.
A primary introduction to the fundamentals of classical ballet for 1st graders, focusing on postural alignment, turnout, and basic movements like pli\u00e9 and relev\u00e9. Students develop core strength, discipline, and graceful control.
A high-energy Jazz dance unit for 1st graders focusing on body isolations, parallel alignment, stylized walking, and dynamic movement quality. Students progress from isolated movements to a choreographed 8-count phrase.
A project-based dance sequence for 11th grade focusing on the sophisticated relationship between musical structure and choreographic timing. Students move from analytical music mapping to creating complex choreographic works that utilize motifs, counterpoint, and intentional stillness.
Students work in small groups to 'curate' a stage for a world music festival. They select a region, choose instruments to feature, and explain why that music is unique.
Students listen to the drumming and singing styles of Native American tribes. They discuss the importance of the drum as the 'heartbeat' and the preservation of culture through powwow music.
Students investigate the wind and percussion instruments of South America, such as panpipes and maracas, and explore the connection between music and dance in Latin American cultures.
This lesson introduces the Pentatonic scale (5-note scale) common in traditional Chinese and Japanese music. Students listen to string instruments like the Koto or Erhu and compare them to the violin.
Students explore polyrhythms and the role of the Djembe drum in West African culture, learning how rhythm serves as a form of communication and community celebration.
A cumulative celebration where students synthesize their learning by creating a musical passport and identifying universal themes in global music making.
An exploration of American folk music where students discover the banjo and fiddle while learning how songs tell stories of history and daily life.
Students investigate the pan flute and the charango, learning about Andean festivals and experiencing traditional dance and pitch variation.
Learners explore the peaceful sounds of the guzheng and the pentatonic scale, practicing melodic improvisation on simple instruments.
Students discover the djembe and the vibrant traditions of West African drumming, focusing on maintaining a steady beat and participating in a call-and-response circle.
A celebratory final lesson where students combine their musical skills for a classroom parade, taking turns as musicians and dancers.
Through a game of Musical Statues, students differentiate between fast and slow tempos, practicing active listening and self-regulation.
The teacher narrates a simple adventure story, and students act it out collectively using the skills they have learned. They might cross a river (jumping), climb a mountain (high levels), or hide in a cave (low levels). This synthesizes listening skills with creative movement.
Students use scarves or ribbons to extend their movement range and visual expression. They explore how the prop reacts to their movement, creating soft, flowing lines or sharp snaps. The prop serves as a partner, helping shy students express themselves more boldly.
Students identify basic emotions (happy, sad, angry, surprised) and create body shapes that represent them. They explore how an 'angry' dance might look sharp and fast, while a 'sad' dance might be slow and low. This connects emotional literacy with physical expression.
Using the environment as inspiration, students use their bodies to depict weather conditions. They swirl for wind, tap for rain, and jump for lightning. The teacher guides a 'storm' narrative where the class transitions from a sunny day to a storm and back to a rainbow.
A final mastery-based lesson where students present research findings through performance-lectures.
Translating dense theoretical abstracts into choreographic scores to analyze the architecture of arguments.
Learning to codify movement using Laban's Effort factors as a tool for qualitative data analysis.
Planning worksheet for the final performance-lecture presentation, featuring a multi-column timeline for scripting and movement scoring.
Research-focused assessment rubric for the final performance-lecture, evaluating somatic integration, theoretical rigor, and movement analysis application.
Final slide deck for Lesson 5, defining the performance-lecture format and its role in embodied research presentation.
Worksheet for mapping a theoretical text to a choreographic score, featuring a spatial floor plan area and a detailed transcription table.
Introductory presentation for Lesson 4, exploring the transposition of theoretical texts into choreographic scores for research analysis.
A sleek, minimalist program template for students to document their ensemble performance and list their specific movement scores.
Comprehensive feedback and reflection tool for both peer observers and the lead facilitator following the practicum session.
Final performance protocol slides for the Ensemble Instant Composition Showcase, detailing duration, success criteria, and prompts.
Worksheet for practicing the codification of movement using Laba Effort factors, with sections for gesture analysis and research synthesis.
Planning document for the facilitation practicum, requiring students to architect a 5-minute movement session with somatic anchors and safety audits.
Final slide deck for the culminating practicum, focusing on the concepts of group flow, collective attunement, and the peer critique framework.
A structured template for graduate students to design and document their own indeterminate movement scores and algorithms.
