TEACHING DANCE GENRE(S)
The various ways in which you might introduce, explore and practise the
knowledge and skills related to teaching/earning about a dance genre.
 Class or individual concept map on a dance genre to assess and discuss
prior class/student knowledge and experience
 Power-point or OHP presentations to relay information with accompanying
oral comments
 Prepared information sheets which students can keep in portfolio file with a
homework task that requires reading for or summarising into essential
points
 Viewing of video examples to give extra information about a genre and how
it might be choreographed or presented; to practise observation, describing,
analysing, interpreting and evaluation skills in formal and informal ways
 Worksheets for determining or extending current knowledge – of varying
complexity and length
 Matching photographs with provided text cards
 Internet or library research tasks for students e.g. find 5 facts about the
Charleston - to present back on a worksheet and/or verbally in class
 Wall posters – made by the teacher or students to maintain awareness of
dance genre information
 Discussion and writing tasks to do before, during and/or after seeing a live
dance performance
 Devising (and answering?) questions for a real or imaginary interview with a
dance expert as a research task
 Learning and using movement vocabulary, style and technique of the
specific dance genre in practical dance sessions
 Use or adapt ideas gained from online teachers’ notes for Ministry of
Education resources to suit the specific genre or studied dance work
 Use questions from past NCEA exams to explore, discuss and/or prepare
information sheets for students
 Use past NCEA exam questions to test student knowledge and use the
sample answers on the accompanying assessment schedule as a guide for
student feedback
 Develop and display a time-line related to the historical development,
features, background, influences, famous people of/within a dance genre
 Teacher-led class analysis of any reviews/articles about a dance work or
genre
 Crosswords or word-finds – developed to test or introduce dance genre
knowledge and/or terminology
 Use a quote to initiate a discussion about the dance genre e.g. The dance is
a celebration of the human body (Martha Graham 1894-1991) – how is this
relevant/not relevant to the chosen dance genre?
 Invite in an expert in the dance genre to contribute information and/or
practical experiences for/to students
 Analyse photographs of genre choreography to speculate on the style,
performers and context
Suzanne Renner, University of Otago College of Education