Finding ideas for movement
Students start the year gathering ideas for dances from their own lives, stories they have read, and things they notice around them. They turn those ideas into short movement sketches they can share with a partner.
What does a student learn in
This is the year dance starts to carry real meaning behind the movement. Students shape their own short pieces, drawing on personal experience and ideas they care about, then revise the choreography until it says what they want it to say. They also learn to watch dance carefully and explain why a piece works or falls flat. By spring, students can perform a polished dance they helped create and talk about what it means.
- Choreography
- Performing dance
- Revising movement
- Meaning in dance
- Watching and critiquing
- Dance and culture
Year at a glance
How the year usually goes. Every school and district set their own curriculum, so treat this as a guide, not official pacing.
- 1
- 2
Shaping dances with intent
Students take their early sketches and build them into longer pieces with a clear beginning, middle, and end. They make choices about timing, space, and energy so the dance starts to say something on purpose.
- 3
Dance and the world around it
Students look at dances from different cultures, time periods, and communities. They connect what they see to their own experiences and use those ideas to add meaning to the work they are making.
- 4
Preparing to perform
Students sharpen their technique and rehearse with care. They pick which pieces to show, work on clarity and control, and think about how costume, music, and staging help an audience understand the dance.
- 5
Watching and judging dance
Students watch their own work and the work of others and talk about what they notice. They use clear criteria to interpret what a dance is about and to give feedback that helps the next version get stronger.
Mastery Learning Standards
The required skills a student should display by the end of Grade 7.
Connecting
Connecting
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Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art
Students connect what they already know and what they've lived through to the dances they make. Personal experience shapes creative choices in rehearsal and performance.
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Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural
Students look at a dance piece and connect it to the time, place, or community it came from. That context helps explain why the movement looks and feels the way it does.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Synthesize and relate knowledge and personal experiences to make art | Students connect what they already know and what they've lived through to the dances they make. Personal experience shapes creative choices in rehearsal and performance. | DA:Cn10.7 |
| Relate artistic ideas and works with societal, cultural | Students look at a dance piece and connect it to the time, place, or community it came from. That context helps explain why the movement looks and feels the way it does. | DA:Cn11.7 |
Creating
Creating
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Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
Students brainstorm movement ideas and develop them into the beginning of a dance piece, making creative choices about how the body moves through space.
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Organize and develop artistic ideas and work
Students take their movement ideas and shape them into a structured dance, making deliberate choices about how sections connect and build on each other.
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Refine and complete artistic work
Students revise a dance they've been building, making deliberate choices about movement, timing, and structure until the piece feels finished and ready to share.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work | Students brainstorm movement ideas and develop them into the beginning of a dance piece, making creative choices about how the body moves through space. | DA:Cr1.7 |
| Organize and develop artistic ideas and work | Students take their movement ideas and shape them into a structured dance, making deliberate choices about how sections connect and build on each other. | DA:Cr2.7 |
| Refine and complete artistic work | Students revise a dance they've been building, making deliberate choices about movement, timing, and structure until the piece feels finished and ready to share. | DA:Cr3.7 |
Performing/Presenting/Producing
Performing/Presenting/Producing
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Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation
Students choose which dances to perform and explain why each piece fits the audience, the setting, or the idea they want to express.
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Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation
Students practice and improve a dance piece until it is ready to share with an audience. That means refining movements, timing, and overall quality through focused rehearsal.
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Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work
Students perform a dance with clear intention, making choices about movement, timing, and energy so the audience can follow what the piece is trying to say.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Analyze, interpret, and select artistic work for presentation | Students choose which dances to perform and explain why each piece fits the audience, the setting, or the idea they want to express. | DA:Pr4.7 |
| Develop and refine artistic techniques and work for presentation | Students practice and improve a dance piece until it is ready to share with an audience. That means refining movements, timing, and overall quality through focused rehearsal. | DA:Pr5.7 |
| Convey meaning through the presentation of artistic work | Students perform a dance with clear intention, making choices about movement, timing, and energy so the audience can follow what the piece is trying to say. | DA:Pr6.7 |
Responding
Responding
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Perceive and analyze artistic work
Students watch a dance and break down what they see: how the dancer moves, how the piece is structured, and what choices the choreographer made. Then they explain what they noticed using specific details.
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Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work
Students explain what a dance is trying to say and why the choreographer made specific choices, such as using slow movement or a tight group formation, to create a particular feeling or idea.
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Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work
Students pick a set of standards (like effort, technique, or storytelling) and use those standards to judge a dance performance. They explain what works, what doesn't, and why.
| Standard | Definition | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Perceive and analyze artistic work | Students watch a dance and break down what they see: how the dancer moves, how the piece is structured, and what choices the choreographer made. Then they explain what they noticed using specific details. | DA:Re7.7 |
| Interpret intent and meaning in artistic work | Students explain what a dance is trying to say and why the choreographer made specific choices, such as using slow movement or a tight group formation, to create a particular feeling or idea. | DA:Re8.7 |
| Apply criteria to evaluate artistic work | Students pick a set of standards (like effort, technique, or storytelling) and use those standards to judge a dance performance. They explain what works, what doesn't, and why. | DA:Re9.7 |
Common Questions
What does a year of dance look like at this level?
Students make up their own dances, practice them, perform them, and watch and talk about dance made by others. They work on movement skills like balance, timing, and strength, and they learn how dances connect to history, culture, and their own lives.
How can I support dance at home if I have no dance background?
Give students space to move and a few minutes of attention when they want to show a dance. Ask simple questions like what the dance is about, what part was hardest, or why they chose a certain move. Watching short dance clips together and talking about what stood out also helps.
My child says they are not a dancer. Does that matter?
No. The work is about making movement on purpose and thinking about it, not about being a trained dancer. Students who are new to dance can still choreograph, perform, and respond to dance at this level.
How should I sequence choreography work across the year?
Start with short movement studies built from a single idea or prompt, then move into longer pieces that students revise over several sessions. Build in regular showings so students get used to performing rough drafts and giving feedback before final pieces.
What usually needs the most reteaching at this level?
Two things tend to stall: developing an idea past the first draft, and giving feedback that goes beyond liked it or didn't like it. Planning repeated cycles of show, respond, revise helps both.
How do students learn to talk about dance they watch?
They describe what they see in the movement, then say what they think it means and why. Watching a short piece twice, once to notice and once to interpret, makes this much easier.
What does it mean to connect dance to culture and history?
Students look at where a dance comes from, who made it, and what was happening at the time. This helps them understand why a piece looks and feels the way it does, and gives them ideas for their own choreography.
How do I know students are ready for the next year of dance?
By the end of the year, students can take an idea, build a short dance from it, refine it based on feedback, and perform it with control. They can also watch another dance and explain what it means and how well it works, using reasons tied to what they saw.