Sharon Phelan 1 Leaving Certificate Applied Dance The Dance Task Literacy through Dance Dance – An Interdisciplinary Approach Teamwork Active Learning Methodologies Community Links Creativity: Improvisation

Sharon Phelan The Student Task Key Points to Remember –Definition The development of a product The investigation of an issue The provision of a service –Integration Originates in dance & integrates with at least one other area –Identifiable contribution from every student

Sharon Phelan Task Ideas… Research the life of a Professional Dancer To create and perform a dance piece-individually or as part of a group A questionnaire on the interest of students in dance, the different dance styles preferred etc To organise a ceili To organise a professional dance group to visit the school

Sharon Phelan Ctd. Current Dance courses available in Ireland – a brochure To compare and contrast two different dance performances using structured methods of appreciation A project on the folk dances of different countries My favourite dance form-ballet, Jazz etc To teach dance to a local Primary School Group To create a piece using a special prop A survey on local dance classes/facilities

Sharon Phelan 5 Leaving Certificate Applied Key points to remember Literacy through Dance An Interdisciplinary Approach Community Links TeamworkCreativity

Sharon Phelan Literacy through Dance Encourage students to use basic dance terminology [e.g. rhythm, set dance, space, waltz etc] when describing a piece Teaching methodologies, which encourage literacy –Survey –Questioning –Recall –Reading –Writing

Sharon Phelan Ctd. Students can compliment oral/written critiques of dances through demonstrating parts of the piece themselves

Sharon Phelan Dance – An Interdisciplinary Approach Integrating Dance with other areas of Leaving Certificate Applied –Vocational Preparation & Guidance –English & Communication –Mathematical Applications –Social Education –Technology –Gaeilge –Leisure & Recreation

Sharon Phelan Ctd. –Modern Language –Religious Education –Science –Sign Language –Arts Education: Drama, Music, Dance & Visual Art – 2 modules –Vocational Specialisms Hair & Beauty, Childcare/Community Care, Active Leisure Care, Agriculture/ Horticulture…

Sharon Phelan Ctd. The student can choose a stimulus from a variety of starting points – story, poem, word, and song, custom … –visual, aural & verbal starting points –other art forms –literature, visual art, music & sound, drama…

Sharon Phelan Community Links –Visitors –Research Students can research Dance styles specific to their own locality –Molyneaux –Oral interviews with local dance specialists

Sharon Phelan Ctd. Work Shadowing / Experience Community Shows / Performances –Encourage students to attend local dance shows and to provide oral / written reports of their evaluations –Encourage students to perform for their own community

Sharon Phelan Teamwork Teamwork Students can criticise dance work in large and small group situations and through oral/written work Students can compose dance sequences in pairs and small groups Students can criticise each other’s work E.g. Did Group A use similar or different floor patterns than your group?

Sharon Phelan Improvisation Improvisation –To prepare or provide offhand/ hastily –To compose [verse, music, etc] on the spur of the moment –To convey concepts or ideas –To mimic actions –Social gestures –Social chores –To respond to a sound, a rhythm, an emotion

Sharon Phelan Ctd. Types –Random; jumping over a puddle, patting a dog –Reflexive; recoiling –Absent minded; doodling –Intentional; dance sequence, cooking

Sharon Phelan Improvisation is dependent on… ‘the relationship of the people in the group to the group as a whole. This relationship is derived from a diversity of tempos, rhythms and moods’ »[Schneer:1994;5] A stimulus

Sharon Phelan Types of Stimuli Kinaesthetic –A single piece if movement [a shape, phrase, gesture] becomes the kinaesthetic stimulus from which the movement piece is derived ‘ Using the word ‘ Dodge ’ create a variety of shapes Auditory –Music, percussion, sound, silence, words, songs etc –Auditory stimuli may accompany & / or inspire dance pieces

Sharon Phelan Ctd Visual –Movement is created from observation Pictures, sculptures, artefacts Visual stimuli can be a response from nature / man made objects Ideational –A specific idea, an unfolding story, poem … Tactile –The movements are inspired by touch

Sharon Phelan Is improvisation dependent on sound & music? Is the body an instrument in its own right? Is moving to one’s own individual rhythms expressive?