Dance Assessment: Questions to explore
What is the purpose of assessment? Grading? Improve Learning? Program or lesson
evaluation? Teacher planning?
What do I assess? I cannot assess everything I teach. What is essential to know and be able to
do in dance or a specific dance form.
What is assessed in dance? Motor skills and abilities, Cognitive knowledge and understanding,
Affective feelings, attitude, preferences and interactions with others, Performing, Creating,
Responding, Technique, Choreography, Creative Process (self or collaborative), performance,
terminology, historical information, cultural context and relevance, choreographic structures,
reactions.
Who assesses? Teacher? Peer, Student Self.
When is assessment conducted? Pre-learning (before the lesson, unit or course, Formative
ongoing throughout the lesson, unit or course, Summative at the conclusion of a lesson, unit or
course.
What are different types of assessment? Traditional (paper pencil) Performance (student doing
dance) Authentic (real world experiences are assessed), test scheduled within a lesson, test
station, zone assessment (for large classes)
What assessment instruments can be used? Observation then recorded or discussed. Checklist,
journal writing or drawing, written test or quiz, portfolio, videotape, maps, webs, diagram,
rating scale, exit slip, teach back, discussion, drawing, flash cards, human graph, interview,
project, presentation.
Rubrics and criteria: Holistic, analytic, How many levels in the rubric?
How assessment is directly linked to the lesson’s objectives?
What issues are related to assessment? Feasibility, validity, reliability, single instrument for
assessment, subjectivity of the assessor, clear criteria, materials, how may trials, student’s age
and experience, clear test descriptions (how is the assessment conducted, what are the
students doing)..
How do I use assessment in the lesson with students? Reveal the criteria and rubric to the
students. Show examples (anchors) of the rubric. Assessment is not a secret, let students know
what you are assessing and why.
Sample analytic checklist for a jump in first position for beginning ballet 8-10 year old
students.
Criteria
Begins in first position with plie’
Hips, knees, ankles and feet are extended on jump
Torso is upright on take-off
Feet land simultaneously in first position and knees bend
Torso is upright on landing.
Yes
No
Sample Plie’ technique knowledge question.
Name the three actions of the knees in a first position jump. Bend, extend, bend.
What is the position of the torso in the first position jump? Stays upright, or straight
Sample rating scale first position jump in first and second position
Student completes three jumps in first followed immediately by three jumps in second and then
three jumps, first, second, first. One trial is given.
Student names
Rubric: Excellent
Critiera: All nine
jumps are completed
without hesitation
using the correct foot
position.
Evan
Whedais
Jenna
MK
X
Rubric:Good
Criteria: Minor
hesitation observed
between jumps or
foot position is not
accurate on one or
two jumps
Rubric: Needs Work
Criteria: Marked
hesitation or stopping
between jumps
and/or foot position
is not accurate in
three or more jumps
X
X
X
Demonstrate the three rubric levels and the criteria.
Resources: Maryland Fine Arts Education, dance www.mfaa.msde.state.md.us
http://www.dpi.state.nc.us/curriculum/artsed/resources/handbook/dance/14creative
Accessed 10/12/2013
Creative Arts Checklist
Dance Assessment
Student_________________________
Date______________
Products and Performance
Performance Level
Expert Highly
Skilled
Growing Novice NonParticipant
Improvises dance movement to explore ideas
Uses all three elements of dance: time, space, and energy
to create movement phrases
Shows evidence of idea, topic, or story, by choice of
movement
Shows clear beginning, middle, end. Evidence of an
organizational dance form: narrative, ABA, theme and
variation, etc
Applies compositional principles: unity, contrast, etc
Uses time wisely
Works well with others
Rubric (performance-level criteria)
Expert: Goes beyond what is expected. Can evaluate own work and progress to make aesthetic decisions and add
personal insights. Shows boldness, original ideas and high energy. The product or performance stands apart.
Highly Skilled: Uses skills effectively. Work is polished and shows creativity, but student is not a risk-taker. Student
stays within comfortable boundaries.
Growing: Still practicing the use of skills and material. Shows evidence of growth and movement to a higher
performance level. Student is eager to learn or improve, but shows no evidence of personal ideas or input.
Novice: Lacks organization and effort. Student is unsure and tends to copy others' examples.
Non-participant: Student does not participate.
Objective
Who assesses
Instrument
Type
Students will
create a three
balance
sequence that
uses three
different shapes.
Balance
transitions
demonstrate a
smooth flow
from one to
another.
Teacher
Observation with Performance
checklist
Individual test
Formative
After students
have practiced,
teacher asks
students to
demonstrate
their balance
sequence.
Rubric and
Criteria
Yes = 3 different
shapes held still
for 3 slow counts
with smooth
transitions.
Not yet= 3
shapes are not
different,
balances not
held, transitions
show a stop in
movement flow
Assessment Table
Assessor
Teacher
Peer
Self-Assessment
Domain
Domain
Domain
Motor skills –
Performance
Cognitive Knowledge
and Understanding
Affective
Technique skills
Complete dance
Strength
Flexibility
Coordination
Rhythmical accuracy
Dance sequences and
combinations
Feedback applied
Terminology
Identify dance
elements
Process of Creating
Creative fluency
Choreographic
Structures
Sequence memory
Comparisons
Cultural contextual
information
Historical contextual
information
Aesthetic judgments
supported by content
X
X
X
Feelings
Preferences
Attitudes
Cooperation
Focus on task
Accepts feedback
X
X
X
X
X
X