Search the California Content Standards

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. Refine partner and ensemble skills in the ability to determine distance and spatial design. Establish diverse pathways, levels, and patterns in space. Maintain focus with partner or group in near and far space. b. Use combinations of sudden and sustained timing as it relates to both the time and the dynamics of a phrase or dance work. Accurately use accented and unaccented beats in a variety of meters. c. Use the internal body force created by varying tension within one’s musculature for movement initiation and dynamic expression. Distinguish between bound and free flowing movements and appropriately apply them to dance phrases.

Enduring Understanding: Choreographers analyze, evaluate, refine, and document their work to communicate meaning
Essential Question(s): How do choreographers use self-reflection, feedback from others, and documentation to improve the quality of their work?
Process Component(s): Revise

Performance Standard(s):
a. Revise dance compositions using collaboratively developed artistic criteria. Document the revisions. Explain reasons for revisions and how choices made relate to artistic criteria.

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. Explore choreographic devices and dance structures to develop a dance study that supports an artistic intent. Explain the goal or purpose of the dance. b. Determine artistic criteria to choreograph a dance study that communicates personal or cultural meaning. Based on the criteria, evaluate why some movements are more or less effective than others.

Enduring Understanding: Choreographers use a variety of sources as inspiration and transform concepts and ideas into movement for artistic expression.
Essential Question(s): Where do choreographers get ideas for dances?
Process Component(s): Explore

Performance Standard(s):
a. Relate similar or contrasting ideas to develop choreography using a variety of stimuli (e.g., music, observed dance, literary forms, notation, natural phenomena, personal experience/recall, current news or social events). b. Explore various movement vocabularies to transfer ideas into choreography.

Enduring Understanding: Choreographers use a variety of sources as inspiration and transform concepts and ideas into movement for artistic expression.
Essential Question(s): Where do choreographers get ideas for dances?
Process Component(s): Explore

Performance Standard(s):
a. Compare a variety of stimuli (e.g., music, observed dance, literary forms, notation, natural phenomena, personal experience/recall, current news or social events) and make selections to expand movement vocabulary and artistic expression. b. Explore various movement vocabularies to express an artistic intent in choreography. Explain and discuss the choices made using genre-specific dance terminology.

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. Use a variety of choreographic devices and dance structures to develop a dance study with a clear artistic intent. Articulate reasons for movement and structural choices. b. Determine artistic criteria to choreograph a dance study that communicates personal or cultural meaning. Articulate how the artistic criteria serve to communicate the meaning of the dance.

Enduring Understanding: Choreographers analyze, evaluate, refine, and document their work to communicate meaning
Essential Question(s): How do choreographers use self-reflection, feedback from others, and documentation to improve the quality of their work?
Process Component(s): Revise

Performance Standard(s):
a. Evaluate possible revisions of dance compositions and, if necessary, consider revisions of artistic criteria based on self-reflection and feedback of others. Explain reasons for choices and how they clarify artistic intent. b. Investigate and use a recognized system to document dance sequences (e.g., writing, a form of notation symbols, or using media technologies).

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. Expand movement vocabulary of floor and air pattern designs. Incorporate and modify differently designed shapes and movements from a variety of dance genres and styles for the purpose of expanding movement vocabulary. b. Vary durational approach in dance phrasing by using timing accents and variations within a phrase to add interest kinesthetically, rhythmically, and visually. c. Compare and contrast movement characteristics from a variety of dance genres or styles. Discuss specific characteristics using dance terminology and descriptive language to describe them. Determine and demonstrate what dancers must do to perform them clearly.

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. Apply body-use strategies to accommodate physical maturational development to technical dance skills (e.g., functional alignment, coordination, balance, core support, kinesthetic awareness, clarity of movement, weight shifts, and flexibility/range of motion). b. Utilize healthful practices and sound nutrition in dance activities and everyday life. Discuss benefits of practices and how choices enhance performance. c. Collaborate with peers to practice and refine dances. Develop group performance expectations through observation and analyses (e.g., view live or recorded professional dancers and collaboratively develop group performance expectations based on information gained from observations).

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. Recommend changes to and adapt movements to performance area. Use performance etiquette and performance practices during class, rehearsal and performance. Maintain journal documenting these efforts. After the performance, accept notes from choreographer and apply corrections to future performances. b. Produce dance in a variety of venues or for different audiences and, using production terminology, explain how the production elements are handled in different situations.