Dance can be found anywhere from commercial entertainment to online, digital platforms. Yet, dance (as creative expression, performance, choreography, learning strategy, representation of knowledge) still maintains a marginalized profile in schools. Dance as artistic representation has immense power and potential for communicating and responding…

This article presents a guiding framework for K-12 arts education. The framework lists four goals for arts education and outlines six areas of teaching practices to support these goals. This framework is presented adjacent to specific political moments, executive orders, and movements from the 2017-2018 political landscape in the United States,…

The purpose of this study was to determine students' perceptions of team-building activities within a university Latin dance course. Students (N = 30) completed an evaluation of the team-building activities and wrote reflective essays about their experiences in the course. The course consisted of twenty 90-minute classes. In the third class…

This practical resource emphasizes the special contribution that visual art, drama, music, and dance can make to student literacy and understanding of content-area reading assignments. Focusing on those areas where students tend to struggle, this book helps K-5 teachers provide an age-appropriate curriculum that is accessible to an increasingly…

Many physical educators have limited dance experience and may lack the skills, knowledge and confidence to teach dance in their school programs. Yet, including dance units in physical education curriculums can provide positive experiences for students who may not enjoy traditional instruction. This article provides step-by-step instructions for…

When the Colorado Department of Education (CDE) describes best, first instruction, it is assumed that instruction is occurring in a traditional environment: teachers and students gathered together in a classroom, working in small groups, large groups, and individually, and that there are no safety risks posed by having people in close proximity of…

Research documents that the arts boost learning, build confidence, and motivate students to participate in class. How do we keep the performing arts alive in this era of increased accountability and decreased funding? Rekha S. Rajan sets the stage for a creative and practical solution with detailed, concrete examples of how to integrate the…

This 45-minute VHS videotape is the fourth in a series of "How To Dance Through Time" videos. It shows how to dance the most influential social dances of the French Baroque Court. The ceremonious Minuet is the most famous of the 18th century dance invention. The Allemande is the pivotal bridge linking to the 19th century. The Contredance…

This 42-minute VHS videotape is the third in a series of "How To Dance Through Time" videos. It highlights the intricacies of an Italian court dance suite, which mirrors the episodic changes of courtship. Nido D'Amore" (The Nest of Love) exposes the technique for all the dance suites of the era, and features The Opening (which…

The Biomechanical Principles and Movement Concepts Curriculum for third- through fifth-grade students is described. Basic movements and the amount of time each is to be taught are listed. Activities for application of dance to fitness based on biomechancial principles are given. (MT)

This approach to teaching creative dance to children attempts to narrow the gap between theory and practice. It is based on teaching processes definitions and creative functioning levels which encourage creative movement. The teacher's role is to facilitate student participation and ability at five levels of processing. (MT)

This 59-minute VHS videotape is the second in a series of "How To Dance Through Time" videos. It provides 44 step combinations and how-to instructions to help viewers learn to dance the most popular dances of the early 20th century (the ragtime era), including: the wild animal dances (fox trot, horse trot, kangaroo hop, duck waddle, squirrel,…

This 48-minute VHS videotape is the sixth in a series of "How To Dance Through Time" videos. It shows the festivity of the 19th century group dances, enabling the viewer to plan and participate in the elegant opening to the ball, a refined square dance, and flirtatious Cotillion dancing games. Professional dancers demonstrate the…

Describes how a director-choreographer and teacher can help novice dancers present a polished performance with some encouragement, a little creativity and psychology, and some easy, solid stagecraft. Presents a four-step approach beginning with determining skill levels during auditions, planning choreography for rehearsals, holding a cast meeting,…

Suggestions to help music teachers adapt the following teaching methods are provided: the Dalcroze method for dance class; the Kodaly method for instrumentalists; the Orff method for string players; the Suzuki method for instrumentalists; and the Kodaly method for chorus. (RM)