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Creative Communities
Dance and Healthy Living Curriculum
Introduction
The NOBA Creative communities dance curriculum builds upon local, national, and international
authorities of childhood development in the art of dance and brings this expertise to New Orleans
through Creative Communities. It is a combination of many techniques that are combined to offer a
well-rounded dance education. While the basic skills are defined and identified and set technical
exercises are provided, much of the class content is based upon the artists’ capability to convey all
necessary skills. Creative Communities curriculum will prepare students for basic dance environments
at a beginning level, as developed through this sequential curriculum design.
Creative Movement – Curriculum Principles and Basic Concepts
All levels of dance are taught using principles of the established curriculum. Specific types of dance
techniques are offered based upon the instructors experiences including, but not limited to Hip Hop,
Afro-Caribbean, African, Afro-Brazilian, and general modern dance. The curriculum offers sequential
development through dance and identifies specific growth content needed for the program participants.
Sources of Curriculum Material:
Dance Content Units created by the New Orleans Ballet Association in collaboration with Susan Koff, Ed.D.
Imperial Society of Teachers or Dancing; Guide to the Grade Examinations Primary to Grade IV in Modern Dance;
Euston Hall, Birkenhead Street, London, WC1H8BE
Joyce, Mary. Dance Technique for Children; Mayfield Publishing Company, Mountain View, California.
Penrod, James and Plastino, Janice Gudde. The Dancer Prepares Modern Dance for Beginners; Third Edition, Mayfield
Publishing Company, Mountain View, California.
Auxiliary Curriculum
A. Self-Management/Health/Nutrition
The general curriculum includes basic principles that should be conveyed to the students at all levels.
The levels of instruction receive periodic classes on stress management and nutrition, participate in
health journals and are evaluated on progress in healthy living (hygiene, attitude, discipline, nutrition,
etc.). These principles have been developed with local health professionals registered dietician, Linda
Dinkins, clinical psychologist, Betty Brown, and pediatrician, Henrynne Louden.
Program Goal
At the end of the semester term, the program will provide childhood development in the art of dance
through dance, nutrition, and self-management curriculum and students will demonstrate fundamental
dance concepts allowing for versatile education and will be able to perform selected dance genres.
Dance Concepts Goal
At the end of the semester term, the students will demonstrate basic universal dance concepts
allowing for versatile education and show the capability to perform selected dance genres.
Objective
At the end of each class, students will show growth in selected exercises as well demonstrate
sequential movement from the training provided.
Healthy Living and Self-management Goal
At the end of the semester, students will articulate the food groups, servings and categories for a
balanced diet. In addition, they will articulate the emotions (happy, sad, mad, confused, scared)
through movement and individual expression.
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Creative Communities
Dance and Healthy Living Curriculum
Ongoing Classroom Activities
Picture/Writing Journals
Magazine Journals (students can use photos from magazines to express themselves or make art)
Oral Expression Journals (video, audio recording, speaking during class as a group or individually)
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225 Baronne Street, Suite 1410, New Orleans, LA 70112  (504) 522-0996 x. 21  (504) 595-8454 fax  www.nobadance.com
Creative Communities
Dance and Healthy Living Curriculum
General Movement Curriculum (basic theory/principles to build capacity)
Primary and Secondary Level
1. Initial Information
a. “Self Space” - Have the class stand in a circle and ask them to imagine a bubble is around
them. Ask students to try to reach into the space without the changing the place, taking a
step, or hitting anyone around them. Tell them that this is their self-space or kinesphere.
Throughout all the classes remind them about their self-space, so they don’t bump into
anyone.
b. “General Space” - Ask students to pretend they are all standing around a pot of stew. Ask
them to use their imaginations and to think about using different ways to “stir” the stew.
Teaching artist will begin with an example. Then have the group try the movement all
together. As you “stir” using various body parts, ask the students how many ways each
body part can move. Have each student participate with an example.
c. Hygiene/Behavior – Discuss student contract with them at the initial class.
i. Conduct
ii. Social Behavior (join in group, individual participation)
iii. Hygiene (teeth, hair, clean clothes, required clothing, shoes/no shoes)
iv. Attendance (no more than three absences)
2. Preparatory (call and response)
A. Basic Alignment - Good alignment is as if a straight line would run through the top of the head,
through the neck, torso, pelvis, and legs. This is the central axis of the body. The head, chest,
and pelvic area should stay in a vertical line. Shoulders should be comfortable directed
sideward and downward.
B. Leg rotation and placement – placement of the legs is integral to proper child development and
alignment.
C. Weight placement – Weight placement on the feet evenly divided in a tripod between the big
toe, little toe, and the heel. Weight shifts are difficult for young dancers. Basic stationary and
locomotion exercises in all dance genres will increase capacity. Weight placement while
standing and moving is integral to proper posture and alignment.
D. Preparatory Exercises
a. Exercises (alignment, leg rotation/placement, weight placement should be looked at
throughout all exercises where appropriate)
i. Knee bends in parallel, first, and second positions (as students are ready)
ii. Parallel position and turned out position while sitting
iii. Front kicks – Battements in parallel to the front while sitting up with arms in
second position.
iv. Walking in all directions
v. Locomotion (skip, walk, hop, leap, run)
E. Known step development
a. Suggested as a review class periodically. Most preparatory information can be used as a
warm up after material is introduced before new information is given.
i. Review all previous information (terms and movements upon call from
instructor) throughout the class and warm up.
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Creative Communities
Dance and Healthy Living Curriculum
ii. Warm Up using information with changes in rhythm, qualities, and directions
from previous classes. Name all the steps in the warm-up as you do them.
iii. Locomotion review all locomotion across the room in lines and rows. Explore
walking, speed up to running, extend to leaping. Explore jumping on two legs
and on one. Then combine steps into gallop, skip, and slide. With each new
step emphasize body parts, direction and rhythm. Build upon direction, speed,
timing, facing, stops.
iv. Memory Building should be part of the class by developing combinations of
locomotor movements that the students perform in small groups.
3. General Conditioning
a. Flexibility (call and response)
i. Floor Exercises
1. Foot exercise – Stretched feet (pointed) and flexed feet
2. Hug and Release
a. Hug and Release – sit high with arms in second; hug in legs and
release to original position
b. Abdominal Strength (call and response)
ii. Preparatory abdominal exercises
A.
alternating knee bends to the chest
4. Standing/Center Exercises (call and response)
a. Isolations Exercises – head, shoulders, hips, feet
i. Head (look all directions. Circle without stopping.)
ii. Shoulder rolls forward and back
iii. Hips side to side and front to back. Circle around without stopping.
iv. Foot exercises (treading, treading with pointed feet)
b. Torso and Spinal Awareness Exercises
i. roll down from standing, touch toes, and back up
ii. cat stretch on all fours
iii. sidestretch
c. Relaxation Exercises
i. extend in to standing X and release all joints completely but stay standing
ii. Starfish – X position lying on back; curl onto right side; expand back to original
position
iii. Natural arms swings
iv. directions arms can move forward, sideways, circles, socket rotations
v. Basic arm swings with torso (Bennington swings)
d. Balance
i. two feet in releve
ii. one foot flat
5. Rhythm and Locomotor Dance Movements (call and response)
a. Exploration arms combined with running or walking
b. Step and Close with bent knees and progress to gallops
c. Knee Bounces
d. Front springs or puddle jumps (leap preparation)
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Creative Communities
Dance and Healthy Living Curriculum
6.
7.
8.
9.
e. Hops
f. Pony Trotting or standing prances without forward progression (prance preparation)
Set Steps and Phrases (memory building)
Prepared Dance (Repertory by Teacher/Artist/Company)
Imaginative Directed Exploration (Improvisation by Students)
Directed Compositional Exercises (Choreography by Students)
Optional Information
Stage Space
Have students learn stage space. Use the stage diagram and make a game of locomoting to the place
on the stage that you call out until they know the directions. Have them draw a picture in their journals
of the stage and the spaces.
4th
Wing
4th _
Leg
Upstage Right
Upstage Center
Upstage Left
_
Right Center
Center Stage
Left Center
_
Downstage Right
Downstage Center
Downstage Left
3rd
Wing
3rd _
Leg
nd
2
Wing
2nd _
Leg
1st
Wing
1st _
Leg
_
Orchestra Pit
[Audience]
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225 Baronne Street, Suite 1410, New Orleans, LA 70112  (504) 522-0996 x. 21  (504) 595-8454 fax  www.nobadance.com
Creative Communities
Dance and Healthy Living Curriculum
Class #1
Food Groups and Servings Class
This class can also be broken into individual parts if the students are not capable of understanding all six food groups at
once. Use one class to focus on one food group if necessary. The warm up should stay the same for all Healthy Living
Classes.
Grades: K-6
Length: 30-60 minutes
Objective
At the end of the nutrition session, students will demonstrate knowledge through movement and
discussion of the four food groups and the servings that are recommended.
Lesson Concept: Food groups and servings
WARMING UP
Introductory Exercise/Warm-up Activity: Discuss the six food groups and the amount of servings
per day (see attached food pyramid for a guide). Discuss what is in each of the food groups. Ask the
kids to tell different foods in each group. Use a serving dance that you can make up to reflect the type
of food and the amount of servings per day. Use this as the warm up as you and the kids say the food
groups and servings aloud. (For example: The Dairy Food group could be reflected by a movement
that shows strong bones and healthy teeth and you can do this movement 2-3 times indicating the
amount of daily recommended servings.)
DEVELOPING SKILLS
“Red Light/Green Light” – Play red light/green light. When you turn around, the students must be in
a frozen shape in a level indicated by the instructor before turning around. The person in the back is
asked to name 1-3 foods in a specific food group. If they get it right, they can take so many steps
forward toward you. If they get it wrong, they stay where they are and begin again.
EXPLORING THE CONCEPT
“special foods” Have the kids break into groups of four. Each student in the group represents a type of
food in the selected food group. Ask the kids to do a movement or shape that is like a food in that food
group. All of the four kids learn each other’s movement or shape. Then they should connect in a high,
middle, or low shape or locomote between the shapes as a group. When they have put their four
movements or shapes together, they have a dance. They should call out the amount of servings or
repeat the dance to reflect the amount of servings like the warm up.
CREATING
Choreography: Have the students show their explorations from “special foods” to the entire class and
discuss the dances.
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225 Baronne Street, Suite 1410, New Orleans, LA 70112  (504) 522-0996 x. 21  (504) 595-8454 fax  www.nobadance.com
Creative Communities
Dance and Healthy Living Curriculum
Class #2
Go, Slow, and Whoa Foods
Objective
At the end of the nutrition session, students will demonstrate a knowledge of Go, Slow, and Whoa
foods in their nutrition.
Lesson Concept: Food groups and servings; Go, Slow, Whoa foods
WARMING UP
Introductory Exercise/Warm-up Activity: Review the six food groups and the amount of servings
per day discussed in the first nutrition session. Then discuss the kinds of foods they eat. Ask them their
favorite foods. Categorize them as Go (healthy), Slow (nutritious, but in moderation), or Whoa (not
good for you, but sure do taste good). Also, categorize those foods into food groups [if a food like
pizza (Slow), usually it is in all categories – dairy, grain, vegetable, meat]. Use your serving dance
from Class #1 as the warm up as you and the kids say the food groups and servings aloud.
EXPLORING THE CONCEPT
“Go, Slow, Whoa” GO - Select a locomotor movement that the kids have learned and can be done
fast. SLOW - Use a separate locomotor movement that is slower. WHOA - Use a shape that moves in
slow motion. When you turn on the music they begin walking around the room while maintaining
their self-space (bubble). When you stop the music they freeze. Call out a food that you have discussed
and start the music. They must do the appropriate locomotor movement that reflects that food (if apple
pie, they should do the WHOA movement). You stop the music and they freeze. Call out another food
and start the music. Repeat this several times until you feel the kids understand the differences. (see
attached Go, Slow, Whoa food list for reference)
DEVELOPING SKILLS
“Little Bit” – By now the kids should understand the differences in good foods and unhealthy foods.
Ask the students in between exercises throughout all dance, health, self-management classes the
following questions:
“If you want to be a healthy human being, how much fat should you eat everyday?” They should
respond, “A little bit.”
If you want to be a healthy human being, how much sugar should you eat everyday?” They respond “A
little bit.”
If you want to be a healthy human being, how much salt should you eat everyday?” They respond, “A
little bit.”
“I need…” – Designate one tagger for every 5-6 students. Designate a locomotor movement and on
signal, taggers attempt to safely tag others. When tagged, students freeze in a shape. To become
“unfrozen,” a classmate must stop in front (face-to-face) and ask “I need three go foods” or “I need
three slow foods” or “I need three whoa foods.” The frozen person must give the answers and the
classmate can help with the answer. Students cannot be tagged when helping unfreeze others.
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225 Baronne Street, Suite 1410, New Orleans, LA 70112  (504) 522-0996 x. 21  (504) 595-8454 fax  www.nobadance.com
Creative Communities
Dance and Healthy Living Curriculum
CREATING
Choreography: Divides students in groups of three. Together they make up three movements that
reflect Go, Slow, and Whoa (give them some examples). They also make up three connected shapes
using different levels. Ask the kids to do the first connected shape and hold for eight counts. Then,
perform their Go locomotor movement for eight counts. Students freeze in their second connected
shape. They perform their Slow locomotor movement. Freeze in third shape. They perform their Whoa
movement and freeze in a shape separately wherever they are. They can do Go, Slow, Whoa in any
order or based upon when the teacher calls it out. When they have put their movements and shapes
together, they have a dance. Perform this for the class and discuss.
Activities in the lesson are based upon ideas generated by Bon-a-PE © by Jim Deline 2002
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225 Baronne Street, Suite 1410, New Orleans, LA 70112  (504) 522-0996 x. 21  (504) 595-8454 fax  www.nobadance.com
Creative Communities
Dance and Healthy Living Curriculum
Class #1-5
Grades: K-6
Length: 30-60 minutes
Objective: At the end of each self-management session (five per semester – incorporated into the
dance class), students will learn one of the emotions; understand body changes, coping, and positive
release.
Lesson Concept: I am a good person. Feelings are okay. My body changes. I can release the energy. I
can cope with the feeling.
WARMING UP
Introductory Exercise/Warm-up Activity: “I am a good person.” Have the class get into a circle.
Begin with the artist making a shape while saying a good thing about themselves or their neighbor.
The next person will say their quality and make a shape. Then the group puts them together while
saying the good quality. At the end of the circle, there is a shape dance that everyone knows.
EXPLORING THE CONCEPT
“Feelings are okay.” During a day, most people experience lots of different feelings, both good and
bad. It is okay to feel angry or upset. While we can’t control our feelings, we can learn to control our
actions and that is what is important. Have everyone make a shape that represents the emotion/feeling
that you are covering that day. Add a locomotion movement that you have learned and do that for 8
counts. Then freeze in another shape that describes that emotion. Repeat this a few times. Then ask the
students to do this in groups so they can watch each other. At the end discuss the changes the body
makes when those shapes occur. For instance, frozen shapes are usually tense and they will relax
when going into the locomotion movement.
CREATING
Choreographing: “Move and Stop” Through the above “Feelings are Okay” exercise, students should
select 4-8 shapes to remember and the locomotor movement in between. Have them perform in small
groups for each other.
DEVELOPING SKILLS
Improvisation: As a group the class can explore tension and relaxation as well as breathing. Use the
voice to say a word that reflects how they feel or just take several deep breaths together in the shapes
before locomoting. Have students improvise in self-space in a way that reflects that emotion/feeling.
Then, freeze for eight counts and locomote to a new place in the room for 8 counts. Dance the emotion
again.
COOLING DOWN
Alone time: Discuss the use of the dance elements created as well as the emotion of the day
(shapes/levels, space patterns, energy, timing/rhythm). Discuss ways that you can do when the
emotion that you are discussing is angry, sad, confused to release that feeling. Then allow the students
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225 Baronne Street, Suite 1410, New Orleans, LA 70112  (504) 522-0996 x. 21  (504) 595-8454 fax  www.nobadance.com
Creative Communities
Dance and Healthy Living Curriculum
to break into self-space silently and either write, draw, or move for themselves while no one is
directing or watching.
EVIDENCE
Reflection sheet from the artist.
Any drawings or journal entries that the children leave for you (they can take their drawings with them
if they prefer).
Dealing with Angry, Sad, Confused Feelings – TIPS from Arthur, 2001 © WGBH Educational
Foundation.
 Use words. Tell the person how you feel and why. Try not to yell.
 Walk away from the person or situation.
 Run, stomp, or do a dance when you’re away from the person.
 Take deep breaths.
 Write a letter or draw a picture about how you feel.
 Take a bath or spend some time by yourself until you calm down.
 Read, play a game, or listen to music.
 Ask the child what else could you do that might help you feel better?
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