Dance in a Day: FINAL Reflection

A fun and informative way to administer Semester 1’s final evaluation.

The end of the semester is the perfect time to reflect on the student’s experiences and learning outcomes.

This dance in a day will celebrate the students’ unique movement history, review concepts from the semester, and brainstorm new ideas for the rest of the year.

The first question the students answer in my dance class is, “What is your movement history?”. The question is to get the students to think about themselves as movers and that their experiences are meaningful; whether it be soccer, gymnastics, dancing at family parties, or playing on the playground, they all impact our movement history. New movement and choreography concepts are added throughout the semester to deepen their movement experiences. 

COLLECT: Gather Material
Task 1: Looking Back and Moving Forward

• Look back at the survey you completed at the beginning of the year. What movement history did you share? 
• Choose two movements that represent your movement history. 
• 8 counts

Task 2:

• What movements/steps have you learned?
• Choose two movements that you found most interesting. 
• 8 counts

Task 3: 

• What dance style are you most interested in learning about next semester?
• Find an article and video that describes the dance style.
• Choose two movements from your research.
• 8 counts

*Task 1-3: Give each student 3 index cards. Each card will represent each Task. Have the students write a reflection on one side and the movement description on the other side. Task 3 will be a short summary of the dance style they choose to study.

Task 4:
In groups of 3-4, use the word in bold to create a phrase.
We are all movers, we all have a movement history. There is a dancer in everyone; leaning on a wall, crossing your arms, rushing to the bus, jumping over a puddle, we are always forming shapes or moving. Inspiration can be found everywhere!

Dance It! 

• Lean

• Rush
• Cross your arms
• Jump
• Make a shape and then move out of it.

COMBINE: MAKE IT A DANCE!
Music Suggestion: Doubt by Mary J. Blige

INTRODUCTION:
All dancers start downstage and face the front. Movement: look back counts 1-4, run upstage counts 5-8. Let the run back look like you are falling. (Try the run facing the back and forward).

Verse 1: Each group has 8 counts.
Assign students a number 1-4. They will perform the tasks in groups (1-4).
Group 1 performs Task 1.
Group 2 performs Task 1.
Group 3 performs Task 1.
Group 4 performs Task 1.

Chorus:
All perform the combination learned in class. (A perfect time to evaluate movement that was taught in class.)

Verse 2: Each group has 8 counts. Everyone else snaps and changes shape every four counts
Group 1 performs Task 2.
Group 2 performs Task 2.
Group 3 performs Task 2.
Group 4 performs Task 2.
Chorus:
All perform the combination learned in class. 

Music Break:
Repeat the Introduction for 16 counts.

Bridge:
Movement is everywhere-  Group work.
Lean, rush, jump, make a shape, travel step.

Music Break:
Repeat the introduction for 16 counts.

Chorus/Bridge:
In partners, share Task 4. Discuss and demonstrate the movements. Make it look like a conversation.