Search the California Content Standards

Enduring Understanding: The elements of dance, dance structures, and choreographic devices serve as both a foundation and a departure point for choreographers.
Essential Question(s): What influences choice-making in creating choreography?
Process Component(s): Plan

Performance Standard(s):
a. Improvise dance that starts and stops on cue. b. Engage in dance experiences moving alone or with a partner.

Enduring Understanding: Space, time, and energy are basic elements of dance.
Essential Question(s): How do dancers work with space, time and energy to communicate artistic expression?
Process Component(s): Express

Performance Standard(s):
a. Identify and demonstrate directions for moving the body in general space (e.g., forward, backwards, sideways, up, down, and turning) and finding and returning to a place in space. b. Identify speed of movement as fast or slow. Move to varied rhythmic sounds at different tempi. c. Move with opposing dynamics.

Enduring Understanding: Dancers use the mind-body connection and develop the body as an instrument for artistry and artistic expression.
Essential Question(s): What must a dancer do to prepare the mind and body for artistic expression?
Process Component(s): Embody

Performance Standard(s):
a. Demonstrate basic full body locomotor, non-locomotor movement, and body patterning with spatial relationships. b. Move in general space and start and stop on cue while maintaining personal space. c. Identify and move body parts and repeat movements upon request.

Enduring Understanding: Dance performance is an interaction between performer, production elements, and audience that heightens and amplifies artistic expression.
Essential Question(s): How does a dancer heighten artistry in a public performance?
Process Component(s): Present

Performance Standard(s):
a. Dance for others in a designated area or space. b. Use a prop as part of a dance.

Enduring Understanding: Dance is interpreted by considering intent, meaning, and artistic expression as communicated through the use of the body, elements of dance, dance technique, dance structure, and context.
Essential Question(s): How is dance interpreted?
Process Component(s): Interpret

Performance Standard(s):
Observe a movement and share impressions.

Enduring Understanding: Dance is interpreted by considering intent, meaning, and artistic expression as communicated through the use of the body, elements of dance, dance technique, dance structure, and context.
Essential Question(s): How is dance interpreted?
Process Component(s): Interpret

Performance Standard(s):
Observe movement and describe it using simple dance terminology.

Enduring Understanding: Dance performance is an interaction between performer, production elements, and audience that heightens and amplifies artistic expression.
Essential Question(s): How does a dancer heighten artistry in a public performance?
Process Component(s): Present

Performance Standard(s):
a. Dance for and with others in a designated space. b. Select a prop to use as part of a dance.

Enduring Understanding: Dancers use the mind-body connection and develop the body as an instrument for artistry and artistic expression.
Essential Question(s): What must a dancer do to prepare the mind and body for artistic expression?
Process Component(s): Embody

Performance Standard(s):
a. Demonstrate same side and cross-body locomotor and non-locomotor movements, body patterning movements, and body shapes. b. Move safely in general space and start and stop on cue during activities, group formations, and creative explorations while maintaining personal space. c. Move body parts in relation to other body parts and repeat and recall movements upon request.

Enduring Understanding: Space, time, and energy are basic elements of dance.
Essential Question(s): How do dancers work with space, time and energy to communicate artistic expression?
Process Component(s): Express

Performance Standard(s):
a. Make still and moving body shapes that show lines (e.g., straight, bent, and curved), change levels, and vary in size (large/small). Join with others to make a formation and work with others to change its dimension. Find and return to a place in space. b. Demonstrate tempo contrasts with movements that match the tempo of the stimuli. c. Identify and apply different dynamics to movements.

Enduring Understanding: The elements of dance, dance structures, and choreographic devices serve as both a foundation and a departure point for choreographers.
Essential Question(s): What influences choice-making in creating choreography?
Process Component(s): Plan

Performance Standard(s):
a. Improvise dance that has a beginning, middle, and end. b. Express an idea, feeling, or image, through improvised movement moving alone or with a partner.