Dance Lesson Plan
Grades
6-12
Materials
DANCING LA CLAVE
Length
Concept/Objectives
Activities
Toolkit Resources
1-3 sessions
Students will learn
how to make the
body move rhythmically.
Students create
dance phrases, and
eventually dances,
that incorporate original shapes and
movements with the
rhythm of the clave.
On The African Root
DVD:
1: Understanding the
Clave Rhythm Pattern
Length of Segment:
00:07:33
Optional:
pair of claves (instrument)
white board/markers
movement cards/posters
shape cards/posters
Afro-Cuban music CDs
(see Support)
Students will create
original
dances/dance
phrases.
3: Moving to the
Clave Rhythm Pattern
Length of Segment:
00:02:09
Optional: World of
Dance and Music
CD-ROM
Materials
TV/DVD player
computer with CD-ROM
drive
Vocabulary
ABA form
call and response
choreographic structure
compositional forms
locomotor movements
nonlocomotor movements
phrase
rondo form
Specialized vocabulary:
clave
Instructional Strategies and Activities
Overview
On day one, students learn the rhythm of the clave either from the video or the
teacher. Once the rhythm has been learned, students explore concepts of call and
response and movements. Hopefully, the end of Day 1 is group work, where students
create short dance phrases to the rhythm; this may take two days. On Day 2 (or 3),
the short phrases are built upon to create ABA dances that are then performed and
critiqued.
Day 1
Introducing the concept: Discuss Latin dances students may be familiar with and
ask what characteristics seem to define these dances. Students may suggest such characteristics as the music, rhythm, instruments, etc. Tell students you will be learning
about a specific rhythm and instrument—the clave. Have students watch the first and
third segments of Afro-Cuban Dance on The African Root DVD (Understanding the
Clave Rhythm Pattern and Moving to the Clave Rhythm Pattern). The clave is a
rhythm that is understood, or felt, in Afro-Cuban music. Have students discuss the
clave rhythm: What African tradition is built into the rhythm? (call and response)
Optional: Extend the discussion by exploring the African roots of the
Arts Toolkit Dance • Lesson Plans • 277
music/dance and its cultural context in Latin America. Visit Latin American countries
such as Cuba on the Toolkit World of Music and Dance CD-ROM for more information.
About the Clave Pattern
Uniting Afro-Cuban music and dance is a rhythmic pattern called clave, meaning
“key.” The word clave not only refers to this characteristic rhythm, but also to a
Cuban percussion instrument consisting of two round polished sticks that are struck
together. The clave pattern may be played on other percussion instruments as well.
Even when clave is not explicitly present, Afro-Cuban musicians feel its pattern, and
dancers move to its rhythm. The clave pattern appears in every form of salsa, and
dancers must understand the relationship between the pulse and the clave rhythm
to dance the salsa with authenticity.
Kentucky
Academic Content
Big Idea: Structure in
the Arts
Academic Expectations
1.15
2.23
Program of Studies
Understandings
AH-6/7/8/HS-SA-U-1
AH-6/7/8/HS-SA-U-3
Skills and Concepts
Exploring the concept: Under your direction, have students explore the clave
rhythm with their bodies. During all of the following exploration, it would be helpful
for you to provide the rhythm with a pair of claves or rhythm sticks in order to keep
the rhythm steady for the class.
AH-6/7/8/HS-SA-S-Da1
AH-6/7/8/HS-SA-S-Da2
AH-6/7/8-SA-S-Da3
Core Content
AH-(06)(07)(08)(HS)-1.2.1
Starting with the concept of call and response, divide students in half. One half will
be the “callers” and one half will be the “responders.” With the groups facing each
other, Group One will clap the three beginning sounds of the clave and Group Two
will respond with the last two sounds of the clave. An example of clapping toward
each other in a call and response action is in Understanding the Clave Rhythm
Pattern segment. To add a bit of energy to the exercise, make a competition out of
it: which group can be the loudest AND most accurate rhythmically? Have students
switch parts. Try again.
Have students brainstorm locomotor movements and list them on the board (or provide movement posters/cards). With both groups standing at opposite ends of the
room, have the “callers” locomote with three movements and the “responders” locomote with two movements that they have chosen from their list of locomotor movements. For example, Group 1: Hop, hop, hop; Group 2: Run, run. Again, making
this a competition to see who gets to the middle of the room first really gets the students traveling (and dancing)! Try different locomotor movements; switch parts.
Developing skills: Have students brainstorm nonlocomotor movements and list
them on the board (or provide movement posters/cards). Using both locomotor and
nonlocomotor movements, have the class create a dance phrase that all the students
will try individually. Write it on the board. For example, Reach, reach, reach, Leap,
leap. This dance phrase uses nonlocomotor movements for the three sounds, and
locomotor movements for the two sounds. See if the students can perform two clave
patterns in a row; for example, Reach, reach, reach, Leap, leap, Reach, reach,
reach, Leap, leap. Create a second dance phrase as a class that now switches the use
of non- and locomotor movement. For example, Skip, skip, skip, Bend, bend. After
trying this pattern several times, have students put the dance phrases together. They
will now perform an AB “dance.”
Big Idea: Humanity in
the Arts
Academic Expectations
2.25
Program of Studies
Understandings
AH-6//7/8/HS-HA-U-1
Skills and Concepts
AH-6/7/8-HA-S-Da1
AH-6/7/8/HS-HA-S-Da3
Core Content
AH-(06)(07)(08)(HS)-2.2.1
Big Idea: Purposes for
Creating the Arts
Academic Expectations
1.15
2.22
Program of Studies
Understandings
For example:
Part A
Reach, reach, reach, Leap, leap,
Reach, reach, reach, Leap, leap,
Part B
Skip, skip, skip, Bend, bend,
Skip, skip, skip, Bend, bend.
278 • Arts Toolkit Dance • Lesson Plans
AH-6/7/8/HS-PCA-U-1
AH-6/7/8/HS-PCA-U-2
Skills and Concepts
AH-6/7/8/HS-PCA-S-Da2
Core Content
AH-(06)(07)(08)(HS)-3.2.1
Big Idea: Processes in
the Arts
Academic Expectations
1.15
2.22
Program of Studies
Understandings
AH-6/7/8/HS-PA-U-1
Creating: Divide students into groups of about 5-6 students each. Once in small
groups, have each group create a short dance phrase based on the clave pattern. (It is
simpler for the students to use the movement patterns, A and B, which have been
danced during class.)
The assignment is:
• The dance must be in ABA form.
• The dance phrase must be interesting to watch (note rubric in the Performance
Assessment); therefore, the group decides how to uniquely perform the
(non)locomotor movements, what formations the group will form, and how they
will use space, time, and force.
Skills and Concepts
AH-6/7/8/HS-PA-S-Da1
AH-HS-PA-S-Da2
AH-6/7/8/HS-PA-S-Da3
AH-6/7/8/HS-PA-S-Da4
AH-6/7/8/HS-PA-S-Da5
AH-6/7/8-PA-S-Da6
Core Content
AH-(06)(07)(08)(HS)-4.2.1
AH-HS-4.2.3
Big Idea:
Interrelationships
Among the Art
Academic Expectations
1.14
1.15
2.22
Program of Studies
Performing: Students perform their dances, one group at a time, for the class. The
class/audience is looking for creative use of the movements and interesting spatial
patterns. After each performance, students discuss the questions: What did you like
about the dance? Do you have any suggestions? Why would you suggest that? Have
students assess the dance according to the rubric and its questions, and performers
take notes on the audience’s comments. It may be helpful to discuss appropriate and
supportive audience behavior and how to offer constructive criticism. The lesson can
end after Day 1.
Day 2/Day 3 (Optional)
“Editing”/creating: Have students take peer comments from Day 1 and apply
them to their ABA dances in order to improve their dances. (Performing again could
occur after this is completed.) After this, the students begin to add on to their dance
phrases, creating a new part C and a new part D.
Staying with the same rhythmic pattern, have students continue to use locomotor and
nonlocomotor movements in order to make their part C. They may use more than
one movement per section of the clave. For example, instead of Run, run, run, Twist,
twist, the students can create a phrase that goes Spin, Kick, Drop, Scoot, scoot.
Understandings
AH-6/7/8/HS-IAA-U-3
Skills and Concepts
AH-6/7/8/HS-IAA-S-1
The assignment is:
• The dance must be in ABACADA form, which is a rondo form.
• The dance phrase must be interesting to watch (note rubric); therefore, the group
decides how to uniquely perform the (non)locomotor movements, what formations the group will form, and how they will use space, time, and force.
Cross-Disciplinary
Connections
Performing: Refer to above for directions on performing.
Clave rhythm pattern in
music
Tips & Suggestions:
For reference for the students, hang up posters/cards with (non)locomotor movements printed on them to encourage innovative use of movement.
Feel free to do as much or as little as this plan outlines. Do not feel you cannot do
this lesson if you have only one day to commit to this project. Pick what you can do
in one day or two days.
Keep students on task during group-creating work. Make sure they do not spend too
much time on one aspect. Also, make sure students move as they create, not just
share ideas and talk about it. Individually ask groups how they are doing; if they begin
to tell you what they are going to do, say, “No, don’t tell me…show me what you
have so far.”
Arts Toolkit Dance • Lesson Plans • 279
Support/Connections/Resources
Teacher Tip
See the Afro-Cuban Dance guide in the Dance and Culture section of the Dance
Toolkit binder for more information.
With all students trying this
at once, students are
required to be very aware
of their surroundings and
classmates; make consequences for those who do
not control their bodies.
When performing these
dance phrases, encourage students to try new,
unique ways of moving by
using the elements of
dance. Have them try
dancing at different levels,
in different directions, with
different sized movements, with different energies. Have them try different body parts—instead of
just reaching their arms,
have them reach their
heads, hips, elbows,
knees, for example.
Visit Latin American countries on the World of Dance and Music CD-ROM for
information about various countries that move to the clave rhythm pattern, such as
Cuba and Venezuela, and see the Dances of the Americas DVD for a salsa performance.
Visit Rhythm Web, a web site of world rhythms at
www.rhythmweb.com/shed/clave.htm.
If you have the Music Toolkit, check out Latin rhythms in these performances on the
Music Around the World DVD: Venezuela: Salsa and Cuba: The Latin Beat.
Search YouTube for examples of people performing to the clave rhythm pattern.
Music/Video Suggestions:
• Buena Vista Social Club
• Juan de Marcos and the Afro Cuban All Stars
• Putumayo World Music: Cuba
• Poncho Sanchez
• When My Heart Finds Christmas CD by Harry Connick, Jr. (Includes the song, It
Must’ve Been Ol’ Santa Claus, that has what jazz musicians call the Big 4, but is
similar to the clave.)
• Harry for the Holidays DVD (This TV special has a segment where Harry
Connick, Jr., sings with Marc Anthony and they perform Auld Lang Syne using
the clave.)
Writing for the Lesson
Describe the experience of creating a dance, answering these questions: What was it
like to work in a group? How were decisions made in the group? What was it like to
create your own dance? What was it like to perform in front of your peers?
Explain the process of creating a dance and then “fixing” or “editing” it to make a
better finished product.
Compare and contrast your group’s dance to another group’s.
Applications Across the Curriculum
Language Arts
Incorporate an activity that focuses on body parts (nouns) that do the locomotor and
nonlocomotor movements (verbs).
Using Writing a Dance Critique from the Responding section of the binder, have students write a critique for one of the group’s clave performances.
280 • Arts Toolkit Dance • Lesson Plans
Adaptations for
Diverse Learners
Research and compare
different forms of the
clave—son clave versus
rhumba clave. What is
the history of the clave?
Create a “TV broadcast”
about dance which
includes stories about
clave’s history, video
examples of people clapping the clave, video segments of dances created
using the clave, etc.
Include a dance critique
section where a “dance
critic” delivers his/her criticism of the “latest” clave
performance.
Science
Go to the web site www.pulsethemovie.com and click on the icon Explore the
Sound Lab, which leads you to the physics of sound.
Social Studies
Study the history of clave and its contribution to society, particularly Cuban music.
Use the World of Dance and Music CD-ROM in the Dance Toolkit to begin this
study.
Vocational Studies
Identify the careers associated with dance, particularly choreographers (since this is
what the students just did). Study the skills required for these occupations. Visit
Kentuckians in Dance www.ket.org/artstoolkit/dance/careers to meet choreographers and others involved in dance occupations.
Open Response Assessment
Prompt:
In order to create today’s dance, an Afro-Cuban rhythm, locomotor and nonlocomotor movements and the elements of dance were used.
Directions:
A. Name the rhythm used for your group’s creative dance.
B. Using the elements of dance, describe how two locomotor and two nonlocomotor
movements were performed in the dance.
ELEMENTS OF DANCE CHART
Space
Size (big, medium, small)
Level (high, middle, low)
Direction (forward, backward, right, left, up, down)
Pathway (Straight, curved, zigzag)
Focus (single, multiple)
Shape (group, individual, straight, curved, angular, twisted)
Time
Speed/Tempo (fast, medium, slow)
Rhythm (pattern, even/uneven)
Duration (long, short)
Accent
Force
Energy (sharp, smooth)
Weight (strong, light)
Flow (bound, stiff, free, loose)
Arts Toolkit Dance • Lesson Plans • 281
OPEN RESPONSE SCORING GUIDE
4
• Student identifies the clave as
the rhythm used.
• Student
describes, in great
detail, the use of
space, time, and
force, with two
examples of locomotor movement
and two examples of nonlocomotor movement.
(Refer to the elements of dance
chart above.)
3
• Student identifies the clave as
the rhythm used.
• Student
describes, in
some detail, the
use of space,
time, and force,
with two examples of locomotor
movement and
two examples of
nonlocomotor
movement. (Refer
to the elements of
dance chart
above.)
2
• Student identifies the clave as
the rhythm used.
• Student
describes the use
of space, time,
and force, but fails
to offer two examples for both locomotor movement
and nonlocomotor
movement. (Refer
to the elements of
dance chart
above.)
1
• Student identifies the clave as
the rhythm used.
• Student fails to
describe adequately the use of
space, time, and
force, and fails to
offer two examples for both locomotor movement
and nonlocomotor
movement. (Refer
to the elements of
dance chart
above.)
0
• No answer or
irrelevant
response.
Performance Assessment
Prompt:
Students create an original dance using the clave rhythm in ABA (or ABACADA)
form.
Directions:
A. The dance must be in ABA form or ABACADA (rondo) form.
B. The dance phrase must be interesting to watch (rubric below); therefore, the group
decides how to uniquely perform the (non)locomotor movements, what formations
the group will form, and how they will use space, time, and force.
Rubric:
• Was the dance interesting to watch? Why?
• Was it well rehearsed?
• Did the dance flow from one movement/concept to the next (e.g., from A to B
and back to A)?
• Did the dancers use the elements of dance in a variety of ways? (direction, path
way, size, level, rhythm, energy, weight, etc.)
282 • Arts Toolkit Dance • Lesson Plans
Answer Key for
Multiple Choice
Questions
1. B
2. D
3. A
PERFORMANCE SCORING GUIDE
4
3
2
1
• The dance followed all directions.
• The dance was
interesting to
watch and captivated the audience.
• The dance was
well-rehearsed
and flowed
smoothly from
one part to the
next.
• The dancers
performed the
dance well and
with confidence.
• The dance had
many innovative
uses of space,
time, and force.
• The dance followed all directions.
•The dance was
interesting to
watch.
• The dance was
well-rehearsed
and flowed
smoothly from
one part to the
next.
• The dancers
performed the
dance well and
with confidence.
• The dance had
some innovative
uses of space,
time, and force.
• The dance followed all directions.
• The dance was
interesting to
watch.
• The dance
needed more
rehearsal time.
• The dancers
performed the
dance well, but
needed more
confidence.
• The dance had
uses of space,
time, and force.
• The dance failed
to follow all directions.
• The dance was
somewhat interesting, but hard to
watch.
• The dance
needed more
rehearsal time.
• The dancers
performed the
dance, but needed more confidence.
• The dance had
few uses of
space, time, and
force.
0
• Non-participation
Multiple Choice Questions
Author: Kacey
Frazier
Copyright 2008 KET
Reviewed by the
Kentucky
Department of
Education
This lesson plan is part
of the Dance Arts
Toolkit. To order the
entire toolkit or for
more information
about the Arts Toolkit
project, visit
www.ket.org/artstoolkit
or call (859) 258-7294.
1. The clave is a rhythm found in most
A. African music.
B. Afro-Cuban music.
C. African-American music.
D. flamenco music.
2. If A is Run, run, run and B is Twist, Shake, then a dance in ABA form would be
A. Run, run, run, Twist, Shake
B. Twist, Shake, Run, run, run, Twist, Shake
C. Twist, Shake, Run, run, run
D. Run, run, run, Twist, Shake, Run, run, run
3. A traditional African form of music found in the clave rhythm is
A. call and response.
B. ABA.
C. response and call.
D. ABACADA.
Arts Toolkit Dance • Lesson Plans • 283
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284 • Arts Toolkit Dance • Lesson Plans