Dance teachers in New York City have implemented action research and unit plans that support the Connected Arts Network goal of serving every student by incorporating equity, diversity, and inclusion and social-emotional learning practices in their standards-based arts instruction.
Explore this work below.
NYC Dance teachers reflect on their work in NYC PS CAN including challenges and advice when building equity in their dance classrooms.
Action research is an iterative process that responds to discoveries made along the way. Rather than a straight line, the process is a series of loops that start and end with reflection. Like students working in a formative assessment process, teachers implemented action research in their classrooms, documented, reflected upon, shared the results, planned improvements, and made revisions.
molinari jacquelinee 2025 NYCPS CAN Action Plan (1).pdfMy Wondering: I wonder if asking my students, “what choices do you want?” will make them feel more involved in the planning of dance class, building agency and belonging?
Elizabeth Skeoch.pdfMy Wondering: Can we create movement that reflects our creativity and individual artistic expression to build student artistic agency?
These unit plans were developed by NYC PS CAN Dance teachers to support the goal of serving every student by incorporating equity, diversity, and inclusion and social-emotional learning practices in their standards-based arts instruction.
Carol Lonnie and Edwin Braithwaite.pdfIn this middle school dance unit, students will explore their voice and identity through skills and relevant dance-making tasks celebrating their talents and expression. Students will understand the protocols of a dance class, creating community, and their roles in building a safe space for their learning. They will have the opportunity to share their values through shared discussions. This unit will analyze the contribution of Alvin Ailey, Hope Boykin, Garth Fagan and other choreographers and their impact on the culture and the community.
Barbara Canner and Emily Todras.pdfIn this elementary dance unit we focus on; Salsa, Bachata, Merengue and Cha-Cha. Social dances tell a story about history, culture, and social justice, and students will learn new aspects of social dances - thinking deeply about the stories behind them, i.e. these dances come out of rich and diverse cultural traditions, created not for the stage, but in streets and clubs and often, by members of oppressed communities. As students share research of their own cultural dances they will be stretched to learn as they collaborate on their own new and original dance.
Barbara Canner - D - Criticality - UNIT PLAN Newsies 2024 5th Grade - .docx.pdfThis upper elementary dance unit will give students the confidence to voice their feelings about a situation they find unfair or unjust as they brainstorm with their peers their thoughts on how to peacefully create change - and express their feelings about it all - through Dance. The musical Newsies has a rich repertoire of choreography expressing the advocacy for change created by 5,000 NYC Newsboys in 1899. Newsies demonstrates how the Arts can tell important stories about history. And it is a great example of how social injustice(s) can be changed through the collective voice of many and in this historical context, the “voices” belonged to children.
Lara Gerstein - Dance.pdfThis dance unit supports students to experiment with different models of collaboration as they begin to explore and develop their personal identities as artists. This unit is designed for a class made up of students of a variety of ages, grade levels, experience with dance and dance composition, cultural identities, language backgrounds and learning styles. It begins at the beginning while allowing those with more experience to also challenge themselves. In addition, it lays the foundation for discussions around how dances express cultural values while giving students the opportunity to express their own personal aesthetic values, which they may or may not be ready to connect to their own cultural influences.
Reina Potaznik and Clara Bello - Dance.pdfIn this dance unit, students will explore the concept of community, what it is, how to create one and how to be a part of one. Students will be able to learn the importance of the individuals that make up the community and how the community is strongest when everyone comes together. Communities are established in various ways in different settings. Building a strong classroom community provides students with a safe and respectful environment. Some of the concepts presented in this unit include: entrance and exit protocols, classroom formations, active listening in the dance classroom, personal space (kinesphere), making shapes, active stillness, levels, traveling in general space, co-creating community agreements, collaboration, the creative process, performer and audience behavior as well as performing in front of peers.
”Sharing thoughts and ideas with CAN colleagues has helped to craft meaningful lessons that enhance our students’ understanding of humanity and the value of the diversity of our world. Students use their new awareness as powerful tools for artistic expression.”
-Elementary Dance Teacher
"I believe my students felt more like stakeholders in dance class, as we engaged in meaningful back-and-forth discussions—both with me and with each other—about what and how they were learning. Students spend a lot of time in my class working in groups and the focus on belonging, in particular, helped all students take part in the creative process together. I don’t think it was always an easy journey but it always led to a new wondering."
-Elementary Dance Teacher
