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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):
Interpret meaning in a dance based on its movements. Explain how the movements communicate the main idea of the dance using basic dance terminology.

Enduring Understanding: Criteria for evaluating dance vary across genres, styles, and cultures
Essential Question(s): What criteria are used to evaluate dance?
Process Component(s): Critique

Performance Standard(s):
Demonstrate and discuss the characteristics of dance that make a dance artistic and meaningful. Relate them to the elements of dance in genres, styles, or cultural movement practices. Use basic dance terminology to describe characteristics of the dance.

Enduring Understanding: Criteria for evaluating dance vary across genres, styles, and cultures
Essential Question(s): What criteria are used to evaluate dance?
Process Component(s): Critique

Performance Standard(s):
Discuss the characteristics and artistic intent of a dance from a genre, style, or cultural movement practice and develop artistic criteria to critique the dance using genre-specific dance terminology.

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):
Explain how the artistic expression of a dance is achieved through the elements of dance, use of body, dance technique, dance structure, and context. Explain how these communicate the intent of the dance using genre-specific dance terminology.

Enduring Understanding: Dance is perceived and analyzed to comprehend its meaning.
Essential Question(s): How is a dance understood?
Process Component(s): Analyze

Performance Standard(s):
a. Describe or demonstrate recurring patterns of movement and their relationships in a dance. b. Explain how the elements of dance are used in a variety of dance genres, styles, or cultural movement practices. Use genre-specific 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. Recognize needs and adapt movements to performance area. Use performance etiquette and performance practices during class, rehearsal and performance. After the performance, accept notes from choreographer and make corrections as needed and apply to future performances. b. Compare and contrast a variety of possible production elements that would intensify and heighten the artistic intent of the work. Select choices and explain reasons for the decisions made using production terminology.

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. Embody technical dance skills (e.g., alignment, coordination, balance, core support, clarity of movement) to accurately execute changes of direction, levels, facings, pathways, elevations and landings, extensions of limbs, and movement transitions. b. Apply basic anatomical knowledge, proprioceptive feedback, spatial awareness, and nutrition to promote safe and healthful strategies when warming up and dancing. c. Collaborate as an ensemble to refine dances by identifying what works and does not work in executing complex patterns, sequences, and formations. Solve movement problems to dances by testing options and finding good results. Document self-improvements over time.

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: 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).