@The Arts Unit Creative Classes
In Class with the Mark Morris Dance Group
Teacher notes
Contemporary training techniques used by the Mark Morris Dance Group in partnership with The Arts Unit
Student dance resource developed by The Arts Unit
Years 7 to 10 dance
What will your students learn?
Your students will:
explore understanding of safe dance practice to acquire movement skills
combine the elements of space, time and dynamics to personalise dance movement
apply their knowledge of the structure and function of the musculoskeletal system to the execution of movement and the study and practice of dance technique
manipulate the elements of space, time and dynamics to communicate an idea in performance.
Syllabus outcomes
Dance 7-10 Syllabus
4.1.1: a student demonstrates an understanding of safe dance practice and appropriate dance technique in the performance of combinations, sequences and dances.
4.1.2: a student demonstrates aspects of the elements of dance in dance performance.
4.1.3: a student demonstrates an understanding of aspects of performance quality through the performance of locomotor and non-locomotor combinations, sequences and dances.
5.1.1: a student demonstrates an understanding of safe dance practice and appropriate dance techqniue with increasing skill and complexity in the performance of combinations, sequences and dances.
5.1.2: a student demonstrates enhanced dance technique by manipulating aspects of the elements of dance.
5.1.3: a student demonstrates an understanding and application of aspects of performance quality and interpretation through performance.
Suggestions for how to use this resource with your students
Teacher can omit any exercises they feel would not be appropriate for their own students' capabilities and replace these with an exercise learnt in class.
Teachers are encouraged to link these exercises to their unit on safe dance practice.
Suggestions for teachers include:
encouraging students to think about their own bodies and how to dance within their own capabilities
the major muscle groups and skeletal structures and how they contribute to basic body movement
performing dance movement consistently relative to anatomical structure
their own individual strength, flexibility and endurance and correct body alignment and placement while executing movement.
This can be achieved through:
individual feedback given to the students in class
students recording themselves performing each exercise and sending it to the teacher to annotate.
students peer review and send their work to a partner for feedback. The partner could mark the student’s work using a success criteria developed for each exercise.
Collection of student work
Google Form: create a Google form with activities and/or questions. Students can also upload any files they create. Email this form to your students with the Creative Class link and all your student responses will be combined in a Google sheet.
Google Classroom Assignment: create an assignment or a quiz in your Google Classroom with activities and/or questions. Students can also upload any files they create.
MS Teams: create a quiz or assignment in your class team drive where students can submit responses and upload any files they create.
Email: ask your students to email you any responses and files they create.
Flipgrid: a website that allows teachers to create 'grids' to facilitate video discussions. Each grid is a message board where teachers can pose questions called 'topics'. Students can post video responses that appear in a tiled grid display.
Jamboard: an interactive whiteboard which can be used for class feedback.
For further support on how to create these resources
Offline access
Download and print this document to send to students with limited access to online resources.
In class with the Mark Morris Dance Company - The Arts Unit @home Creative Classes.docxWould you like to promote your school and showcase your students' work as a result of engaging in this Creative Class?
Help us celebrate the fantastic work of NSW public school students by emailing photos or videos that you have permission to share and comments on how your students enjoyed the class to digital.artsunit@det.nsw.edu.au.
Please include the Creative Class title and your school name in the email so we can share on The Arts Unit social media and our website.
Teacher feedback
Third-party content attributions
Dance 7-10 Syllabus, © NSW Education Standards Authority (NESA) for and on behalf of the Crown in right of the State of New South Wales, 2003, copied under s113P, accessed 10 May 2020.