Rationale
This rationale complements and extends the rationale for The Arts learning area.Dance is expressive movement with purpose and form. Through dance, students represent, question and celebrate human experience, using the body as the instrument and movement as the medium for personal, social, emotional, spiritual and physical communication.
Aims
In addition to the overarching aims of the Australian Curriculum: The Arts, dance knowledge, understanding and skills ensure that, individually and collaboratively, students develop:body awareness and technical and expressive skills to communicate through movement confidently, creatively and intelligently
Structure
Learning in DanceLearning in Dance involves students exploring elements, skills and processes through the integrated practices of choreography, performance and appreciation. The body is the instrument of expression and uses combinations of the elements of dance (space, time, dynamics and relationships) to communicate and express meaning through expressive and purposeful movement.
Example of knowledge and skills
Years 7 and 8
Years 7 and 8 Band Description
In Dance, students:
- make and respond to dance independently and with their classmates, teachers and communities
- explore dance as an art form through choreography, performance and appreciation
- build on their awareness of the body through body part articulation
- extend their understanding and use of space, time, dynamics and relationships including performing in groups, spatial relationships and using interaction to communicate their choreographic intention
- extend the combinations of fundamental movement skills to explore dance styles
- extend technical skills from the previous band, increasing their confidence, accuracy, clarity of movement and projection
- draw on dances from a range of cultures, times and locations as they experience dance
- explore the dance and influences of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and of the Asia region
- learn about style and choreographic intent in Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander dances, and how these dances communicate social contexts and relationships
- learn about sustainability through the arts and sustainability of practices in the arts
- explore meaning and interpretation, forms and elements, and social, cultural and historical contexts of dance as they make and respond to dance
- evaluate choreographers’ intentions and expressive skills in dances they view and perform
- understand that safe dance practices underlie all experiences in the study of dance
- perform within their own body capabilities and work safely in groups.
Years 7 and 8 Content Descriptions
Years 7 and 8 Achievement Standards
By the end of Year 8, students identify and analyse the elements of dance, choreographic devices and production elements in dances in different styles and apply this knowledge in dances they make and perform. They evaluate how they and others from different cultures, times and places communicate meaning and intent through dance.
Students choreograph dances, demonstrating selection and organisation of the elements of dance, choreographic devices and form to communicate choreographic intent. They choreograph and learn dances, and perform them with confidence and clarity, and with technical and expressive skills appropriate to the dance style.