1. Chapter 29
Skill Themes in Dance

2. Chapter 29 Key Points
Chapter aims to foster an understanding of the teaching of movement concepts and skill themes in dance
Even teachers with little or no formal dance experience can make dance an exciting and enjoyable experience for students
Several purposes for dance in the curriculum
Children Moving classifies dance experiences into:
Rhythmic dance
Folk, ethnic, and square dance
Creative dance

3. The Purpose of Dance
Dance experiences in physical education should give
children:
The ability to use their bodies to express feelings and attitudes
A sense of satisfaction from effectively using their bodies as an instrument of expression
Enjoyment and appreciation of dance as a worthwhile physical activity for everyone
Ability to interpret and move to different rhythms

4. Types of Dance Rhythmic Experiences
Focus on children’s ability to move to a rhythm
Folk, Ethnic, and Square Dances Focus on structured dance forms of a particular culture
Creative Dance
Focuses on creativity and expression

5. Skill Themes in Dance Teaching Children Dance: Unstructured Forms
Prior to learning structured forms of dance, children need experience in moving freely in response to their internal rhythm
Children need experience in performing locomotor movements in free space in response to various rhythms
Children Moving focuses on:
Rhythmic dance: emphasis on children’s ability to move to rhythm
Creative dance: emphasis on provoking creativity and expression.

6. Chapter 29: Skill Themes in Dance
Teaching Children Dance: Unstructured Forms (cont)
Rhythmic and creative dance are many a times taught concurrently during a lesson
Very young children are usually in tune with their bodies; hence it will be important for teachers to provide expressive dance experiences that enhance this innate expressive ability

7. Progression in Teaching Rhythmic Experiences
Children move to their own internal rhythm (fundamental body actions and traveling skills)
Children move to an external rhythm (such as a drumbeat) imposed by the teacher
Manipulatives are added to the rhythmic experiences (i.e., streamers, scarves, lummi sticks, balls, jump ropes)
Use of teacher‑designed routines to elicit group responses to a given rhythm
Use of student‑designed routines (alone, with a partner, with a group) combining various movement qualities and patterns (i.e., jump rope routines, ball handling routines to music)

8. Progression in Teaching Creative Dance
Children develop sensitivity to and awareness of movement through exploration (focusing on fundamental body actions and traveling skills)
Children perform tasks that focus on the spatial quality of the movement (use the movement concepts to help children realize the potential of a movement)
Children explore movement as a tool for self expression (expressing an idea, attitude, or feeling)
Children structure their communicative movements into organized forms (sequencing)
Children design a dance (structuring several sequences into a whole)

9. Chapter 29 Key Points Teaching Children Dance: Structured Forms
Folk and square dance:
Range from simple to very complex.
Require competence in moving to a designated rhythm before they can be completed successfully

10. Chapter 29 Key Points Some Teaching Points
Expressive dance content consists of the majority of the skills themes categorized under locomotor and non-manipulative as depicted in the wheel
Movement concepts are used to heighten and expand children’s movement possibilities as they express themselves
Dance ideas are found throughout skill theme chapters, especially in Chapter 19 (Traveling)

11. Chapter 29 Key Points Some Teaching Points (cont)
It is a professional responsibility to include dance in the physical education program. All children should have opportunity to experience creative movement and rhythmic experiences
For some students, dance may well be one of their lifetime choices for physical activity

12. Movement Analysis Framework: The Wheel